His Bite (ON HIATUS)
by mpg
Summary: One life changed the course of his own, making him a connoisseur. Ever since, he has hunted for the perfect blend of vintage and boutique. Has he found it in Isabella Swan? AU/BxE - ON OFFICIAL HIATUS
1. Prologue: Next Bite

**Prologue: Next Bite**

_A/N: This is an EPOV outtake I did for Fandom Fights the Floods. When I wrote this, I foresaw what I thought the rest of the story would be BPOV. However since then, Edward has not shut up, but neither has Bella, so it will be an alternating POV story. _

_I own nothing. Characters are all Stephenie Meyers' creations, I just enjoy torturing them. Kisses to CorrinaTFF for betaing this little baby for me & Gabbysway2 for pre-reading. __Thank you too to Robrator for my beautiful banner (http :/ yfrog. com / h0znr8j)_

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~ Many times been loved, and many times been bitten ~

~ Led Zeppelin ~

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- EPOV -

My name is Edward Masen, and I am a prick. I know that might sound like some form of self-deprecating remark, but it's actually not. The fact of the matter is that I am an unrelenting, unapologetic, pain in the ass, prick. I know this because I am told…repeatedly. Not a day goes by when I don't hear it hurled at me by at least one person—albeit mentally. Sometimes it is because I cut them off with my car—stolen more often than not—or because I pushed past them roughly in the street, but mostly it was because I stole their girl. I got that last one a lot, because females never resisted me; never resisted and never escaped.

I was a hunter, and I preferred my meat—or more specifically blood—young, tender, and female. The only thing that came close to the thrill of the hunt—the seduction—was the claiming of my prize; the moment when I brought a girl to climax and sunk my teeth into her throat simultaneously. Nothing beat the sensation of blood, sweetened by endorphins and pumping hard from exertion, pouring into my mouth as I poured my seed into a still warm body.

Once upon a time, I had lived a different life; more peaceful but also exponentially more boring. It had taken almost ten years before I had broken off from my sire—my _father _as he had called himself. His life had been one of abstinence, in all its forms. My extra talent granted me insight into his mind, so I knew his intentions were good and his desire…companionship. But then he had fallen in love with a young woman and changed her to be his mate, suddenly, I was no longer required. I felt as though I had been cast-off while the two lovers spent hours wrapped in one another's embrace. I had quickly grown tired of being the third wheel, so I broke free from them to find a life of my own.

For a few years, I lived the life of a vigilante. I was a superhero roaming the streets and protecting the innocent. Yeah, I was a tool. I thought it was the best way to balance my desire for blood with my lingering human morals. That is until I met Evelyn.

Upon meeting her, I thought Evelyn to be simply the most ravishing creature I had ever encountered. Her blood smelled sweet, almost like a desert. From the first time I had encountered her aroma, I desired her, but I soon learned she had never committed a crime heinous enough to warrant my attention. At first, I did everything I could to stop myself from haunting her footsteps. She was my first in so many ways, and taught me that life was better lived without morals. It was a slow lesson, but one well worth it in the end. She had unknowingly changed me.

She was a harlot who plied her trade on the streets of my hunting ground. For weeks, her luscious scent distracted me while on the hunt for genuine wrongdoers. I would reluctantly feed on blood that smelt atrocious and was filled with impurities and booze while being teased by her heady aroma. I couldn't know for sure, of course, but I would liken it to eating brussel sprouts while being surrounded by the scent of roasting beef. It was maddening, almost to the point where I considered giving up and returning to the 'vegetarian' lifestyle. I thought for a while that if I couldn't have her, I didn't want anyone, but I wasn't quite ready to give up human blood.

I finally had my first glimpse of her beauty early one evening after trailing her scent, because I could no longer stand the distance. Her dark hair was cut into a short bob which surrounded a synthetically pale face, ruby red lips, and dark eyes that were filled with secrets. Her soft body was wrapped in a loose red dress that boyishly belied her delicate curves, the top barely skimming over a set of knee-high black stockings held aloft by a suspender belt. A pair of small high heels adorned her feet, elevating her height slightly.

She was learning on a wall with one leg cocked underneath of her—the heel of her shoe resting just below her perfect ass—utterly at ease and full of confidence. Her fingers caressed a long cigarette holder, which she put to her mouth and sucked hard, before blowing out a thick, smoky breath. The sight of her mouth in motion stirred up feelings in me that I immediately recognised as lust—an emotion I had often seen in the minds of the men that I hunted. I suddenly wanted her for more than just her blood; I wanted her body, but I couldn't even begin to think about claiming either one. I wanted her too much to walk away, but I wasn't quite willing to let go vestiges of my humanity to take an innocent life.

"Hi, honey, you lost?" she asked through another breath. _He's a good-looking one, much better than the usual clientele. A bit jumpy though._

She had obviously mistaken my inner conflict for nerves or perhaps a moral conflict of another nature.

"I shouldn't be here…" I murmured, but my body betrayed me and took one step closer to her.

She kicked off the wall. _Looks like he needs me to lead here._ "Honey, it's nothing to be ashamed of…"

I shook my head. "I'm not…I just shouldn't be here. It's not right."

_He is quite handsome. Maybe… _She raised her hand and rested it on my cheek. "Tell you what, Honey. I'll even give you a freebie." She pressed her lips against mine.

I closed my eyes, overtaken by my dual desires. I could smell the change in her scent as her body grew slightly aroused as she kissed me. It made the battle between my morality and my desires infinitely more intense.

She pulled her face away from mine, and I growled softly at the loss, my desire winning control of my body. She turned and positioned herself back on the wall. "If you want more…it will cost you."

"How much?" I grunted beyond caring because I knew I had to have her. To have such a wicked assault of my senses was one thing, to have it snatched away so suddenly was too much to bear.

"A fin."

_Five dollars?_ I thought it seemed a little excessive for a back-street hooker, even if her aroma was mouth-watering. Then I realised it didn't matter, because the dead didn't chase debts. And I knew that she was going to end up dead, it was the only outcome that could arise from our encounter. I knew if I tried to claim her body, I would drink from her.

I nodded to acknowledge my acceptance of the price.

She smiled and walked back toward me, reaching for me with an outstretched hand. Once our fingers were entwined, she pulled me back down the alleyway and through a tiny door in the wall. We trailed up a staircase, my mind already tracing all the escape routes and planning the disposal of her corpse. If I was going to go through with it, I was going to do it right. Carlisle, my sire, had taught me proper 'table' manners—even if he had only meant it to be used for the disposal of carrion. But to me, the little tomato leading me through the seemingly empty house was little more than livestock in that moment.

We arrived in a small bedroom, vacant aside from the double bed with pressed white linen. I eyed the walls, bare and beige. The room screamed anonymity which suited me perfectly.

"Gosh, your hands are cold," she murmured as she turned back to me. "Perhaps I can warm them?"

She pressed my hands on her thighs, just under the hemline of her skirt. I was surprised, and slightly disappointed, by the lack of foreplay. She smiled and nodded encouragingly, and I realised that she wanted me to just take her, to use her however I wanted. She was used to that kind of treatment.

She started as my cool fingertips trailed up and down the length of her creamy thigh. I traced along the tops of her stockings.

I had no idea what I was doing, but the combination of a new rush of hormones and the bloodlust settling over me were driving me insane. My humanity was fast sliding out of view, but I didn't want to be a complete monster. I wanted to please her as penance for what she was about to sacrifice for me. I was determined to give her an experience unlike any she had had before. I pulled my hands away from her legs and began to fumble at her chest. I felt woefully inadequate as I pushed the material of her dress aside and took one of her breasts in my hand.

She gasped. "You're still so cold," she murmured.

"You'll have to warm me," I said, touching my lips to hers.

She began to drag me over to the bed, but I shook my head; it was too intimate for me. I didn't want to imagine any intimacy—not while I was planning murder. I needed to keep my head as much as I could if I was going to take what I wanted from her.

I listened to her mind as I moved my hands across her breasts, learning from her reaction to my touch. Where I started as boring and inadequate, I soon had her mewling at my touch.

I turned us around and pushed her against the wall, pressing myself between her legs and kissing her more forcefully. I continued to follow the road map her mind was providing, overriding my own desires for the moment. I dipped my head to taste her, running my tongue along her skin. My chest rumbled in delight, and I had to snap my mouth shut to prevent myself from biting immediately into her soft, smooth skin. The proximity of her blood made my mouth pool with venom, but I managed to swallow away the bitter taste, promising myself that my thirst would soon be quenched.

I took a deep breath, savouring her scent, before risking the use of my mouth again. I traced my tongue lower down onto her chest, before clasping the material that still covered her front with one hand and then tearing it off. I heard her complaint begin in her mind, but soothed her with a well placed hand and a whispered, "I'll pay for all damages."

After she thought she would be getting additional money all of her protests fell away, long before they were ever actually voiced. In truth, she liked it a little rough. She made no secret of that fact in her mind—in fact, her mind held no secrets from me at all.

I tore at her dress again, ripping the remaining shreds off her delicate body and palming her now exposed breasts.

"So tasty," I murmured against her skin. She had no idea I was referring to the promise of her blood and not her smooth, salty exterior.

I felt her heartbeat hammering against my lips as I moved my mouth down to caress her nipples one at a time. I knew I had her within my grasp and completely under my control, as she moaned rather than jumped when I grazed my teeth along the underside of her breast, allowing a few tiny drops of her blood to fall into my waiting mouth. I moaned along with her at the taste that dulled the fire in my throat for one tiny moment before re-igniting it, making it burn fiercer than before.

I stepped back from her for one tiny moment, just long enough to shed my clothes—no longer concerned for keeping up human appearances because Evelyn was too consumed with ecstasy to notice—before tearing at her panties, ripping them from her body, and pushing myself back between her legs.

I lost my virginity hard and fast, it was over nearly too soon. Evelyn had cried out almost as soon as I had entered her, panting hard as she came around me. Not knowing how intense the experience would be, I followed quickly after. I clutched at her shoulder as I rode out my ecstatic wave. I hadn't even realised my teeth had pierced her until it hit me that my euphoria was two-fold; blood and sex in a perfect union. I felt remorse in the end, casting my eye over the crimson stains on the crisp white sheets and the ones that crossed the beige walls. I could have made the decision then and there to write off Evelyn as a once-off and swear never to do it again, but my regret wasn't for the loss of her life, or the way she had been sacrificed, it was that so much precious liquid had been wasted in the process.

Evelyn was my first; the first time I had sliced through innocent skin to taste the pure blood beneath, the first time I had enjoyed the sensations of the carnal delights of the skin, and the first time I had felt a body cool while I held it bared skin against me in a lover's caress. The first…but by no means the last.

After Evelyn, picking my victims had been anything but haphazard. I may have been a prick, but I was a discerning prick. I hunted about once every six months, always ensuring I selected the right bouquet and the right vintage. I had narrowed it down and knew that innocents around the age of seventeen had the best taste. Nothing beat the blood of a pure virgin.

Sometimes the pickings were thinner than others. The '60's for example, was a particularly hard decade. Free love and all that. Not to mention the drugs. Ugh, the taste of even the finest bouquet was marred by those horrid substances.

I began to work smarter, grooming my victims over the course of a few weeks, or in a couple of cases months, before they were ready to willingly offer me their sacrifice. Of course, they never completely understood the extent of their gift, but they never died unsatisfied.

I had seen my sire a few times over the years, each time his 'family' had grown and each time he tried to turn me back towards his preferred way of life. Without fail, I refused his requests. I was far too unwilling to give up the few precious meals I had each year. I didn't think it was too much to ask to take two sacrificial virgins for myself. After all, there were over six billion people in the world. Surely two young ladies wouldn't be missed.

Over the years, I had perfected my skills both in my accuracy—no longer was a single drop of my liquid ambrosia lost—and in my finesse. It was fair to say that even if my lovers did survive our trysts—which they never did—I would remain memorable as the best lover they had ever had. By killing them, I was being merciful. I was saving them from a lifetime of disappointment and pining away for just _one more_ satisfying fuck.

~ 0 ~

I first met my latest prey a number of years ago. She was, without doubt, the finest smelling morsel I had ever encountered. Ours had been a chance meeting. I was passing through Arizona one night when her bouquet assaulted me. I had tracked her to her house, desperately hoping that the body that matched the scent was just as inviting, but I was quickly disappointed when I saw her sleeping soundly. Not because she was unappealing—just the opposite in fact. She had everything I would usually look for in a lover—but she was too young; quite a few years too young. It seemed such a shame to let such a perfect feed go to waste.

I debated momentarily at just taking her blood without all the hoopla, but in the end, I refused to deny myself the full satisfaction of taking her sexually as I drank. I regretfully tore myself away from her house, all the while promising myself that I would keep track of the delicate morsel. I would find her, fuck her, and taste her when she came of age.

When I returned, a few short years later, she was gone and her house was vacant of her scent. I grew angry at her for leaving. Did she not realise I had waited so patiently for our reunion? I had spent a number of years with her scent dancing in my mind while I drank from other women—while I fucked other women—I wasn't about to let her go without at least trying to track her down.

I broke into the post office and found a forwarding address in Jacksonville, Florida. It was lucky that I had spent so much time over the years perfecting my patience, because it looked like I would be waiting once more.

I spent the next few weeks tracking down the address in Jacksonville, only to find the girl wasn't even there. I spent a few nights in reconnaissance at the address, soon learning from the mind of the mother that the girl had moved to the rainy town of Forks, Washington to live with her father. I growled in frustration as I realised that my prey had eluded me once again; but no more.

I stole a car and made my way to Forks, praying to a deity I had long turned my back on that nothing had happened in the interim years to make her scent—and ultimately her taste—any less appealing.

I crossed her scent quickly once I reached town and the force of it nearly knocked the wind from my chest. Puberty had been kind to Miss Isabella Swan—or perhaps fate had been cruel. Either way, I wound my way closer to her house, knowing that she would be my next meal—and perhaps the finest ever.

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**A/N:- As per the AN up top, this will be a multi-chap fic. However, I want to finish of a few of my other WIPs before embarking too much further with this one. So posting is likely to be a little sporadic at first. Please check out the beautiful banner made by Robrator (she's all kinds of awesome with banners & backgrounds) and if you love it tell her so on twitter :) **

**As always, would love to know what you think. And for anyone worrying about where I might take this, please remember I seem to have a thing for angst, but I am generally a HEA girl at heart. Letters to You is just an...anomaly ;) **


	2. Chapter 1: Want

**Chapter 1: Want**

_A/N: I own nothing. Characters are all Stephenie Meyers' creations really, I just really enjoy torturing them for my own sick and twisted amusement. Thanks must go to the usual suspects, my fic-wifeys (Gabbysway2 & CorrinaTFF). _

_Thank you to Robrator for my beautiful banner __(yfrog(dot)com/h0znr8j)_

_I'd like to give a shout out to Sparkly Red Pen (for all your betaing needs) who hooked me up with the awesome Beta & Pre-reader I have for this story. _

_And last, but absolutely not least, I'd like to say thank you to __ATaletobeTold and Albymangroves for __the work you guys put into this chapter. Seriously you both rock, even if I did whimper a little when I opened the doc ;) A quick warning, they fixed it but I meddled and may have broken it again. _

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**_~ We do not know what we want, but are ready to bite somebody to get it. ~ _**

**_~ Will Rogers ~_**

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- BPOV -

After only three months at Forks High School, I knew nothing ever changed; for example, I was still the new girl. Sure some of the initial buzz had worn off, at least to the point where I was no longer stared at openly in the hall, and I even had a couple of very close acquaintances. However, I was already resigned to the fact that I would never be fully accepted. That privilege was reserved for those who were at least third generation residents of Forks. The fact that Charlie was a long-term resident and the Chief of police had earned me some additional reputation points, but it was minimal in the scheme of things.

My only saving grace, the one that what would get me any sort of long-term acceptance after being the shiny new toy died away, was a family that stood out even more than I did: the Cullens. Technically, it was the Cullens and the Hales, but they all shared the same adoptive parents, Carlisle and Esme Cullen.

Before moving to Forks, I had never seen any _one_ person who was flawlessly beautiful, at least not outside of the airbrushed pages of a beauty magazine, and yet this family were all unbelievably attractive. Four jaw-droppingly attractive teenagers, and their perfectly beautiful parents. There were, in fact, two sets of siblings: Alice and Emmett Cullen, and Jasper and Rosalie Hale. Of course, since it seems to happen with gorgeous people, they were all together, like _together _together. Alice was with Jasper, and Emmett was with Rosalie. They sat together, spent lunches together and somehow had managed to get all of their classes together. It was the way it had been since the day I started. I had no idea how they managed to swing it, but I wouldn't have been surprised if money was involved because the other thing that stood out about the Cullens was their clothing. Everything about their outfits hinted at designer labels and everything about their cars screamed money.

I didn't bear them any ill-will though. After all, their presence made my own transition that much smoother because I wasn't the freak show that I could have been otherwise.

I was slowly growing used to the dark forests and constant rain; although, I still desperately missed the sun and heat of Arizona. Basically, my time in Forks was…tolerable. It wasn't memorable, and I certainly didn't want to live there for the rest of my life, but I stayed out of trouble and kept my grades up.

As I headed to the parking lot at the end of yet another day, an uneasy feeling crept up my spine. I glanced around nervously. It almost felt as if someone's eyes were on me. I turned around completely but couldn't see anyone. The feeling lingered, it was almost like a tingle in the base of my spine. Stupidly, I scanned the trees across from the lot not sure what I was expecting to see. It wasn't as if the forest was a big hangout for the local kids.

I shook my head and continued to my old, rustic—or should I say _rusty—_truck. I began to pull open the door.

"Bella!"

I heard my name called by a voice that was both familiar, and not. It was familiar because I'd heard it often when I was passing by the Table of Beauty, but unfamiliar because I'd never heard it say _my_ name.

"It's Alice, right?" I asked stupidly, not entirely sure on the etiquette of talking to one of the Gods when they willingly stepped down from their pedestal to speak to a lowly commoner.

She smiled brilliantly.

_Gosh her teeth are white_. _Not just normal white, but commercial-for-teeth-brightening-at-the-dentist white._

"That's right," she said. "It's lovely to meet you formally."

I resisted the urge to cock my brow at her, after all, we'd shared a few classes and I had never willingly avoided the Cullens. However, they'd made it clear in their stance and behavior that they didn't want to socialize with everyone else.

"Anyway, I was just wondering if I could ask a favor." She smiled again and I found myself nodding before I even knew what I was agreeing to. "The others had to leave a little early, and I've found myself without a ride. I don't suppose you could drop me home?"

She smiled winningly, as if she already knew I would say yes. It wouldn't have surprised me in the least if she had a pout perfected for getting her way.

I looked around, certain I had just seen the Jeep they always drove as I had scanned the trees opposite the lot, but sure enough, it was already gone. I was clearly going crazy.

"Uh, I guess." I didn't mean to sound so rude, but I was still astonished that one of the Cullens had spoken to me, let alone asked me for a favor.

"Great," she said enthusiastically. Somehow, she was already poised by the passenger side of my truck and opening the door. "I can't tell you how much I appreciate this," she gushed. "You are such a lifesaver." The entire time she was speaking, her eyes remained focused on a spot in the woods. I tried to see what it was that she was looking at, but all I could see were the trees.

"Really, it's no problem," I assured her. The truck roared to life, and I put it into reverse. I pulled out of the spot carefully to make sure I didn't cause an accident—the last thing I needed was to cause injury to the precious Cullen in my passenger seat—and put the truck into first. As the truck lurched forward, I saw something move out of the corner of my eye.

I turned my head quickly. Standing at the very edge of the forest, leaning casually back on a tree with one leg cocked up underneath him, was the most handsome boy I'd ever seen; and I'd seen handsome—after all, I'd seen the Cullens. Even in the shadow of the huge clouds overhead, his bronze hair shone slightly like a freshly cleaned penny. I gasped as his lips turned up into a crooked smile. As ridiculous as it seemed, it almost felt as if his smile was meant for me.

I turned to Alice to see if she had seen him too, to make sure he wasn't just some figment of my imagination, but stopped before I asked her the question because her face wore the most vicious scowl I'd ever seen. Even though she was a petite girl, it was truly frightening. As I glanced at her, her face shifted quickly—so quickly in fact that I might have just imagined the scowl—and she was smiling again.

"It's just off the main road," she said, pointing to the road ahead. "I'll have to direct you…the entrance can be a bit tricky."

I put her odd behavior out of my mind. After all, I didn't know her, so I couldn't even be sure it _was_ odd. Instead, I spent the drive listening to her occasional directions and thinking about the bronze-haired boy beneath the tree. There was something about him that was compelling, perhaps it was that off-centre smile, the unusual color of his hair or maybe it was just the fact that I was certain that smile was meant for me. Despite not knowing _what _it was that fascinated me about him, I knew I wanted to find out more.

He wasn't local, that much was clear by his clothes and, well, by the fact that I'd have noticed him before if I'd seen him around town. If I hadn't known better, I would have assumed he was part of the Cullen household, except I knew he wasn't from around here. My mind began to construct elaborate fantasies about the prodigal son moving back with his family. I laughed out loud at myself, before remembering Alice was sitting next to me. I bit my lip and turned to her. "Sorry, I finally got a joke someone told me earlier."

"Care to share?" She beamed, she sounded genuinely interested almost as if she actually wanted to be friends.

I shook my head. "It really wasn't that funny."

She pointed out her driveway and I was relieved when I realized our drive was almost drawing to a close. She was right when she said it could be tricky to see, I would have driven straight past it if she hadn't directed me. I turned into it carefully before edging along the winding drive. Each time I spared a glance at Alice, she was grimacing but gave me a smile shortly after.

"I'm just used to the boys screaming up here much faster than this," she said apologetically just before I asked her if something was wrong.

I nodded. "Sorry, I just don't trust The Beast around these corners."

"The beast?" She frowned in confusion.

"Good ol' Rusty here." I tapped the dash jokingly.

"Oh!" She smiled and I wondered what she thought I'd been talking about.

My jaw dropped when I finally rounded the last corner to the Cullen house. It was huge. No, it was mega. I had never seen a bigger house in all my life. Yet, despite its size, it looked warm, and even inviting.

"I don't suppose you want to come in?" Alice asked with another mega-watt smile.

I shook my head before even considering her invitation. I'd known _of_ Alice and the Cullens for six months, but I'd only had my first conversation with her less than half an hour earlier. For all I knew, her family was some kind of cult consisting of flesh-eating axe murderers.

"Oh," she said, sounding upset but almost resigned, as if she'd expected my answer. "Well, maybe next time?"

"Maybe," I murmured, trying to be non-committal, knowing that it was unlikely she'd even speak to me again, let alone invite me to her house.

~ 0 ~

To my surprise, Alice was waiting for me when I arrived at school the next day.

I had pulled into the lot early and climbed from the truck quickly. My eyes fell immediately to the forest. The copper-haired boy was waiting in almost exactly the same stance and place as yesterday. When he noticed my eyes resting on him, one corner of his mouth pulled up into a smirk and my heart skipped a beat. I smiled shyly back at him, feeling the warmth of my blush cross my cheeks. His smirk widened in response and he kicked off away from the tree he was leaning on. He'd barely taken a step when Alice appeared in front of me as if from nowhere.

"Bella, tell me you are going to the prom," she said quickly.

Prom was only a week away and was all anyone seemed to talk about. I was just waiting for it to be behind me for another year. I shook my head. "I wasn't planning on it."

She gasped. "Don't have a date?" she whispered as if it was a shocking secret that mustn't be shared. She touched my arm lightly, and I wondered whether she had a problem with her circulation, her fingers were ice-cold.

I flinched away in anger. "I don't _want_ a date. I don't dance."

She grinned. "I could teach you."

I rolled my eyes. "I said I don't dance, not that I can't." Truthfully, I couldn't with my two left-feet, but I didn't like her assumption regardless.

She held her hand up in surrender. "Sorry. I was just really hoping I'd have someone to go shopping with to get my dress."

"But what about Rosalie?" I asked. _Surely taking a sister shopping would be much easier than taking _me, _a complete stranger_.

She rolled her eyes. "You'd think having a sister would be great, a willing shopping companion, but she's not like that."

She saw my confused expression and continued to explain.

"She'd rather have her head buried under the hood of a car."

I tried to decide whether the moment was perfect to tell Alice that I would rather have my head buried in a book than go shopping. I'd been on more than a few drawn out trips to the mall with my mother over the years, and I knew she didn't have a fraction of the budget of Alice Cullen. I began to shake my head but then she pulled out the big guns: her pout. "Fine," I squeaked out. I was going to add, "_I'll just have to check with Charlie"_ but she railroaded me again.

"It's settled then. This afternoon, straight after school, we'll head up to Port Angeles." Alice was gone as suddenly as she'd appeared. I could almost see the cartoon dust cloud left in her wake.

I gaped after her. Didn't the words _parental permission_ mean anything to her?

Once I'd recovered from Alice's sudden appearance and disappearance, I looked back to where I was certain I'd seen the bronze-haired eye-magnet standing. I felt a slight pang of disappointment when I realized he was no longer there—if he ever had been. Perhaps he was nothing more than a product of my imagination, an idol to dream about. After all, even though I couldn't recall all of my dreams last night, I was certain he'd played a starring role in them.

Jessica, one of the few people I considered to be almost my friend, sidled up to me as I headed toward the school. "What on earth did _Alice Cullen_ want from _you_?"

I would've been offended by her question and the tone of surprise in her voice had the same question not crossed my mind a number of times since yesterday afternoon.

"She needs my help picking a prom dress," I joked.

Jessica laughed loudly—probably too loudly given the circumstances—and looped her arm in mine to lead me to class, drilling me for information about what it was like to actually _talk_ to one of the Cullens.

~ 0 ~

My shopping trip with Alice wasn't the protracted event I had expected it to be; instead, it was a whirlwind. Within what felt like two minutes in the only boutique dress shop in Port Angeles, she'd selected several dresses for herself and Rosalie. I was amazed when she pushed one of her shopping bags into my hand when she dropped me off at home.

"You'll look great in it." She beamed. "If you decide to come of course."

"Alice—" I began to tell her that I couldn't accept it, but she cut me off.

"You have to take it, Bella! It's a thank you gift for coming with me today."

I looked at the dress and, while I thought it was very pretty and would probably be quite flattering to my figure, knew it was far too extravagant a gift for a shopping trip. I went to say "_Thank you, but I can't take it",_ but Alice beat me to the punch again.

"I had fun this evening, Bella. I'll see you tomorrow." The car door was shut, and she was driving off almost before the words reached me. I was left feeling dazed and confused, just as I had been since she had first spoken to me.

~ 0 ~

Alice was waiting in my drive for me when I stepped out to head to school the next morning.

"I thought I'd repay the favor. Want a lift?"

I knew where she lived, and I knew it was out of her way, so I didn't feel like I could refuse, but I would have to talk to her about boundaries. I had no idea why she had such a sudden interest in me, but I had to believe it had something to do with the boy I'd been seeing randomly. It was too much of a coincidence that she would grow interested on the exact day I had first seen him.

I decided to take her up on the offer, if only so that I could begin to extract some information from her.

I tried to raise the issue, but she was good at deflection. I didn't even realize how good until we pulled up in the parking lot without me even mentioning the boy who'd overtaken my dreams.

~ 0 ~

For the fifth day in a row, I had seen him. He was always on the periphery, never anywhere where anyone else could see him. I was beginning to wonder if I was crazy, imagining bronze-haired angels who spent their days in the forests around Forks. He was nothing more than a specter, a ghost I had seen but was never able to speak to.

Each time I noticed him, I was captivated. My eyes were drawn in his direction, and he would smile or beckon me over. If I started to head toward him, or him to me, Alice would arrive and instantly become a distraction. I wondered whether perhaps she knew more than she was letting on. Not once did she acknowledge him or confirm his presence in any way. Even when I finally managed to get the question out, Alice brushed over it with a laugh and scoffed, "What? A boy in the forest?"

I didn't want to push it any further, lest she think I was insane, but each time she appeared shortly after I'd spotted him, I made sure to point him out. Without fail, she denied being able to see him and when I looked back, he was always gone. I was beginning to wonder whether I _was_ going crazy.

Alice spent the better part of the week begging and pleading with me until I had agreed to go to the prom. She'd even convinced me somehow to go with her family, which I had to admit was a completely intimidating idea.

I woke the morning of prom absolutely petrified. The thing that forced me out bed was the bright sunlight filtering through my window, I'd almost forgotten what it looked like. I stood at the window, basking in the glow before bringing my hands to my face and groaning heavily. I didn't want to go to prom. Even just the extra attention I'd received as people noticed Alice's befriending of me was too much for me to cope with. I began toying with the idea of calling up and cancelling, but when I reached for the phone, it rang. Eerily, it was Alice, wanting to know if we could get ready together. I grimaced at the thought of her in my house, buzzing around me while I tried to get myself presentable. Just the image of her, perfect and pampered, in my cramped bathroom trying to help me was enough to make me nauseous. I told her as nicely as I could that I would manage just fine on my own.

After I hung up the phone, I had a shower and decided to try to wrangle my way into the knee-length, ruffled, midnight blue dress Alice had bought for me. Even I had to admit that despite being overbearing and slightly invasive, she had a keen eye for fashion. The dress fit me perfectly even though I'd never even tried it on in the shop. It hugged my hips, making them almost shapely rather than the boyish lines I was used to. There was a panel inside the dress which tucked underneath my breasts and performed no small miracle there, making them appear at least a full cup-size bigger. The only complaint I had was that it was a little shorter than I would have selected for myself, stopping a few inches above my knees.

After I was finished I paused momentarily at the window, gazing desperately into the distance and trying to think up a plausible excuse for getting out of prom—something I wouldn't have needed a week ago—when I spotted an all-too familiar color in the forest behind my house. I stopped dead, uncertain why he was near my house. _Did he know this was my house? Or is his presence _here_ confirmation that I was losing my mind? _

I ran down the stairs and out of the back door without thinking. I heard the phone ringing behind me, but whoever it was, they could wait. I needed to try to grab hold of my mirage while I saw him without Alice around to thwart me with her inconvenient interruptions. I needed to convince myself that he was real.

I saw him better as soon as I hit the grass at the back of the house. He was standing just among the bracken that lined the forest, just far enough in that he couldn't be seen from the road, but close enough that I could easily pick him out. He inclined his head, and I knew he was silently telling me to come to him. I disregarded all of the reasons why I shouldn't and followed him eagerly.

I stepped through the bracken without regard, my bare feet meeting the forest floor eagerly in my pursuit of the picture of perfection. I hadn't even realized how far I had come, until the green forest completely enveloped me.

I turned, suddenly anxious that I wouldn't be able to find a path back home. I closed my eyes when I felt steady breaths on the back of my neck. He hadn't said a single word, but I was his captive. His breath was cold and sent shivers down my spine. I still didn't know his name, and yet I had allowed him to lead me into the forest, away from prying eyes, but also away from safety. It was cold and I had no shoes, no jacket and no real idea why I had flown after him so recklessly.

The moment that his cool breath hit my neck though, I didn't care anymore.

~ 0 ~

**A/N:- Thank you to everyone who has supported this little fic & said they were interested in reading more. I give you...more ;) **

**You may have noticed in my top A/N I have a new betas & new prereader for this fic. I have to thank the Sparkly Red Pen crew for that. Honestly go to their website if you are ever in need of a beta! The process was so simple! I want to take this opportunity to thank both of the girls ATaleToBeTold and Albymangroves again! www(dot)SparklyRedPen(dot)com**

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	3. Chapter 2: Thirst

**Chapter 2: Thirst**

_A/N: I own nothing. Characters are all Stephenie Meyers' creations really. I just enjoy playing with them. Love & kisses to my fic-wifeys (Gabbysway2 & CorrinaTFF) . _

_Thank you to Robrator for my beautiful banner __(http :/ / yfrog. com / h0znr8j)_

_A huge thank you must go to __ATaletobeTold and Albymangroves for __the work they did to get this chapter into shape. _

_They fixed it, but I meddled and may have broken it again._

~ 0 ~

_**~ The remedy for thirst? It is the opposite of the one for a dog bite: run always after the dog, he'll never bite you; drink always before thirst, and it will never overtake you. ~**_

_**~ Francois Rabelais ~**_

~ 0 ~

- EPOV -

I followed the delicious scent of my latest prey, Isabella Swan, to a small house on the edge of town. A police cruiser and a rusted old truck parked out the front. I gathered that meant her father was a police officer which may have proven to be problematic. It wasn't that I was concerned for my own well-being because I wouldn't be anything more than a ghost to the people of the town, but it might make it a little more difficult to convince her to go somewhere alone with me. Over the years, I had learned that stranger danger talks were a much more common occurrence for the children of police officers.

I stalked around the base of the house twice trying to locate the spot where the delectable smell was the strongest. I found the sweet spot about halfway along the wall of the house that overlooked the forest at the rear of the property.

I stepped back from the house to examine it. There was a second story window just above the section of the wall where the scent was most concentrated and I smiled to myself, knowing that I had found her. I scaled the side of the house quickly before testing the window. It squeaked and groaned as I pushed it slowly along its track. I cursed inwardly as the sounds filled the air. I paused and listened to the minds inside the house to see if their suspicions had been roused.

It seemed Isabella was sleeping as soundly as she had the night I'd visited her as a child because I couldn't hear a thing from her. Her father, however, was dreaming. Fish, lakes, and the mother from Jacksonville filled his head, and I knew I had nothing to be concerned about. He had not woken either.

At last, I was alone with my prey. I stepped closer to her and breathed deeply. The burn I'd long associated with the perfect drop desiccated my throat and filled my mind with images of pulsing red sweetness. I smiled as the venom pooled in my mouth. The raging inferno in my throat meant I had selected my meal wisely. I knew she would be my best to date as I pulled back the covers on her bed briefly to examine her body and groaned lightly in satisfaction over the vision that greeted me.

Her body was just at the peak of blossoming from adolescent to adult. Her breasts were on the smaller side, but I could see their outline through the oversized shirt she was wearing and knew they would fit perfectly when cupped into my hands. Her skin was almost translucent in its soft beauty. I could practically see the tiny capillaries and vessels on her delicate throat that carried her sweet blood around her delicate body. Best of all, she was the picture of innocence. She wasn't wearing a sexy negligee or satin pajamas; instead, she wore a t-shirt with a few tiny holes along the hem and pair of old sweats, which made me want her even more. I wanted to take her and corrupt her, to make her into the perfect sexual being before claiming what was mine.

I had done it so many times before I had it down to an art form. There was no way she could escape me, and in the end, she wouldn't even want to. She would cry out in ecstasy and not pain as she gave herself to me willingly, passing her life force onto me and providing me with both sustenance and pleasure.

I spent a few moments in her room, trying to work out more about who she was, this Isabella Swan. _What does she like? What are her dreams?_ It was all irrelevant, but it would give me an idea of what was needed to gain her trust.

Her bedroom was surprisingly sparse. From what I had learned over the years, humans tended to imprint themselves onto spaces that they occupied, as if they could make sense of their meaningless lives simply by making one room reflect their ideals, but Isabella had none of that. There was nothing in the room to indicate that anyone called it their own. There was a stack of school books and an ancient computer on a tired, old desk in the room, the single bed and a closet with just a small smattering of clothes. I realized Isabella was as bland as her surroundings.

As I left her room, barely an hour after I had entered it, I knew I had selected the perfect prey; the smell, the beauty, the body and the fact that she had absolutely no personality to interfere with my plan. The biggest problem for me might be that she wasn't going to be _enough_ of a challenge.

At least, that was my concern until I hit the ground where I crossed the scent of another vampire. I recognized it at once, a member of my sire's _'family'_. The most annoying member, the one who always thought she knew everything. The biggest problem was she was almost always right. I hadn't known that they were close enough to interfere with my hunt.

_I can see what you plan to do._

I heard the mind of Alice almost as soon as I had picked up her scent. I rolled my eyes. What did I care if she knew what I wanted to do? I knew Carlisle; he wouldn't allow any member of his family to hurt me, not unless I posed a direct threat to them. I always worked smartly and knew how to cover my tracks, so I wouldn't pose a risk to their security or secrecy in this town; he knew that as well as I did. He hated what I did, but unless he suddenly decided he was willing to end my life—something he'd forcibly avoided in the past—he couldn't do a damn thing to stop me either.

_I won't let you have her._

I wanted to run from the annoying voice ringing in my head. Alice was one of only two people who spoke directly to me through their thoughts; Carlisle was the other. I wasn't used to it, and I found it more than mildly irritating. Instead of running away, I ran toward the location of Alice's thoughts, rising to the challenge.

I stopped a few yards away, smirking at her to show my lack of concern at her words. "You won't _let _me have her?" I asked, laughing derisively.

_She has a family—a father who loves her dearly._

I shrugged. "Families move on."

She shook her head. _How can you be so obtuse for someone who hears the thoughts of every person around you?_

I clenched my teeth together tightly. I hated that Carlisle had told Alice of my talent. It was _my_ gift, and therefore, it should have been _my _choice to let people know. It was only through sheer luck and hypothesis that he'd ever known about it.

_Families don't just _move on. _They grieve. They remember their loss and they ache. _

"That's not my problem."

_You are willing to cause all that pain? Just for your own pleasure and satisfaction?_

"It's who I am, _Alice_," I sneered as I uttered her name. "It's _what_ I am. I didn't choose this life, but why shouldn't I enjoy the trappings of it?"

_Because it's not right._

I was growing angry at the fact that she wouldn't speak to me out loud. "Just because you have decided to abstain from our natural food source doesn't mean I have to as well."

_Leave her alone. Please?_

"If I go somewhere else, if I _choose_ someone else, won't they have a family too?"

She gritted her teeth as she witnessed a vision of me finding someone else and what I would do to that girl. _Then don't. You can choose not to live like this. You know you're always welcome to come back to the family. _

I stepped back at her words. "You aren't my _family_, Alice. You never have been. My family died in 1918, just like I should have."

_You can't keep using your self-hatred as an excuse to hurt innocent young girls. _

I laughed. "That's where you're wrong. I don't hate myself. I didn't do this to myself. Carlisle made me what I am, so he is to blame for everything I do."

_I _will_ stop you. I _will_ keep you away from Bella. _

_Bella…_ I thought the name to myself. I liked the way that sounded. _Beautiful, innocent, Bella. _I winked at Alice. "Good luck trying."

And just like that, I had a challenge.

~ 0 ~

Despite my confidence, there was a small part of me that wondered whether Alice might actually be able to stop me. I worried about it the whole night. I couldn't stand the thought that after seeing her room and confirming that I had found the perfect prey I might actually never get to taste her. When the day broke to a cloudy gloom, I decided to try my luck. I ran in the direction of the school and then spent the day in the forest; waiting, watching, planning. Each time that I saw Bella, I began to grow even more obsessed with her, if that was possible.

I learned a few things during my reconnaissance. I realized that Alice didn't actually know Bella; they weren't friends, or even casual acquaintances. I learned that Bella was actually something of a loner. She had a few people who she spoke to during the day, but no one that she seemed particularly close to. It boded well for me. Loners, I understood.

By far the most staggering realization for me over the course of the day was that for some reason Bella was immune to my talent. I had tried to listen to her thoughts repeatedly throughout the day, but there was nothing. _Silence_. It was something I'd never encountered before, something that might have been interesting to play with if not for the added pressure of the Cullens' presence. Instead of the fun I would have had trying my luck gaining Bella's trust, and stealing her innocence, without the added benefit of my talent, I had to outwit an annoying, clairvoyant vampire.

I lamented the fact that I would miss the opportunity to learn a thing or two that might have helped me the next time I encountered a silent mind. I knew that if the opportunity arose to claim Bella, I would have to take it immediately. I still wanted her to come to me willingly, but I wasn't going to be able to completely corrupt her morals the way I usually would have.

I waited in a spot that Bella would have to pass to leave the school. I'd seen her arrive in the rusty behemoth that was parked in the first of her house. I watched as she moved toward the truck, glancing around behind her like a scared little rabbit. I wondered whether she felt the weight of my eyes on her. It didn't matter whether or not I was the cause, and I definitely didn't mind her being a little bit skittish. She reminded me of a horse in need of breaking in, and I was more than willing to help. I stood calmly in my spot, unwilling to move and risk losing sight of her.

My fingers reflexively made a fist when I heard the interfering thoughts of Alice. I knew she was planning on befriending Bella in her first attempt to stop me, but it didn't faze me too much. In fact, Alice was just making it even more interesting for me. I knew I would get the girl I wanted, I had never failed yet, but it just meant I wouldn't be able to seduce her the way I usually would have done. Instead, I would have to win her trust, or her infatuation, silently. I knew that eventually, if I was patient and ensured she saw me often enough, she would come to me. Cocky? Sure, but I'd earned the right to be over the years.

I stood dead still in the forest where I knew Bella would see me. I listened in to her conversation with Alice and tried to find anything useful I could. I heard in Alice's mind the moment Bella would see me and I was ready for her. I smirked at her, trying to let her know that she already held a special place in my existence. She would be one of my banquets. Not only that, she would be the best one yet.

~ 0 ~

I crept into her bedroom after my day of reconnaissance. I acted on instinct, not allowing myself to make any conscious decisions until the last possible second. I smirked to myself that while Alice may have known about my talent, I also knew about hers from our past encounters.

As soon as my feet hit the ground in Bella's room, I breathed deeply of her scent, allowing it to inflame my thirst so that I could refocus on my ultimate goal. I opened my eyes and studied her face for a moment. It was so hard to leave her untouched when I could have had her blood in my throat in less than an instant. I could have easily grabbed her and ran, but then she would have been terrified and I wouldn't have been able to fulfill _all_ of my needs. No, I needed her to come willingly when she was ready for me. However, that didn't stop me from having a little…fun first.

I crept forward, shifting ever closer to her bed until I was standing right above her. Then I ducked down to her level, breathing one long breath out across her throat. She began to shiver and tiny goosebumps rose across the skin on her neck. I breathed in deeply, smiling as her scent reached into my mind and tempted my palette. I breathed out once more, this time forming a single word, whispered softly against her skin, "Bella."

Her response was to shift slightly, give a soft moan and break out with more tiny bumps, making the tiny hairs on her skin stand to attention.

I lifted one hand and held it just above the blanket. I closed my eyes as I felt her warmth radiating through her blanket to warm my cool skin. Keeping my eyes closed, I began to move my hand across her body, never making contact but imagining how she would feel. Using her temperature as a guide, I kept my fingers exactly one inch above her covers. As I traced along the soft peaks and valleys of her body, my hand raised and dipped.

I licked my lips in anticipation as I pulled my hand back and made a fist, trying to capture the heat of her in my hand for just a moment longer. I leaned over her a little further, placing my lips just a fraction above hers and imagined the feeling of her softness when she finally gave herself to me.

I moved my mouth back to her throat and continued to breathe deeply while whispering quiet tales of the pleasure I would soon give her. The more heated my words became the more she moaned and writhed. I could smell her arousal growing, the addition of new hormones to her blood making it all the more heady and desirable. I wanted to take just a sample, a small morsel to tide myself over until the perfect moment, but I knew that if I began, I would never be able to stop. My many feasts over the years had taught me that much. Even though all the girls ended up being special in their own ways, this girl had the potential to be as dear to me as sweet Evelyn, the girl who started it all, had been.

Her breathing grew shallow and her head tilted back, allowing space for me to continue my whispered seduction. I hoped she was seeing me behind her eyelids as she dreamed her secret desires. She gasped out quietly into the night, no doubt in response to some shift in her dreamscape, and clutched her blanket tightly. She panted and began to murmur soft responses to my whispered needs.

She writhed heavily all night, seemingly trying to seek out the touch of another. When the time was right, I would be more than willing to be that one. I would give her the perfect night, and she would give me her life and her blood in return.

I couldn't wait for the moment that she would be mine.

~ 0 ~

Another four days passed without the opportunity of alone time with a conscious Bella. Every time I thought that maybe she was heading my way, Alice would get a vision and would suddenly appear to ruin everything once again. She put a stop to my nighttime visits after my third stay. She had been waiting for me under the window once again.

She warned me that her mate and her 'brother' were going to be guarding Bella's window. I knew enough about the hulking beast of a vampire that she called her sibling to know that he wouldn't back down from a fight. I wasn't too afraid to face him—and would if he tried to stop me from claiming her when the time came—but I didn't see any point in forcing a confrontation if there didn't need to be one.

Instead of visiting Bella each night, I spent my time daydreaming about her. I envisaged the final act so many times. I imagined locations and positions, but I never made a final decision. I knew I couldn't. Part of me hated going into the whole thing so unplanned, but another part was relishing in the fresh challenge. It had been so long since I'd had such an interesting hunt. Apart from the anticipated delicacy of her blood, the girl herself meant little now. She was just the prize to be won for outwitting a coven.

I was overjoyed at what a terrific prize she would be.

~ 0 ~

Finally, my moment presented itself. The day dawned completely clear and sunny. I knew Alice and her family was safely at their house; I had seen the two brothers leave just before sunrise. I didn't think they would risk exposing their true nature just to save one girl.

I crept to the edge of the forest behind her house, desperate to catch a glimpse of her and attempt once more to lure her to me.

I spotted her and quickly realized that she had spotted me too. Without Alice's interference, it didn't take long before Bella was running headlong toward me. I instantly headed deeper into the forest, listening intently to ensure she was following. I only stopped once I knew we were deep enough to not be disturbed. Once she was within arm's reach of me, I saw her close her eyes and take a deep breath. I took the opportunity to do the same, breathing in deeply of her wickedly delightful scent.

She turned back to look the way she had come, and for a moment, I thought she was going to flee from me, but she stopped. I stepped closer and continued to breathe deeply, drawing in her scent, allowing it to dance on my tongue as a seductive tease of what was to come.

"Oh, Bella," I breathed softly across the base of her spine. "You will be my best ever."

~ 0 ~

**A/N:- Thank you all for the support you've given this fic & all my fics :) I hope you are enjoying them. **


	4. Chapter 3: Pleasure

**Chapter 3: Pleasure**

_A/N: I own nothing. Characters are all Stephenie Meyers' creations really. I just enjoy playing with them. Love & kisses to my fic-wifeys (Gabbysway2 & CorrinaTFF) . _

_Thank you to Robrator for my beautiful banner __(http :/ / yfrog. com / h0znr8j)_

_A huge thank you must go to __ATaletobeTold and Albymangroves for __the work they did to get this chapter into shape. _

_They fixed it, but I meddled and may have broken it again._

~ 0 ~

_**~ Do not bite at the bait of pleasure, til you know there is no hook beneath it ~ **_

_**~ Thomas Jefferson ~**_

~ 0 ~

- BPOV -

His lips were whispering out words against the skin at the base of my skull, but I couldn't make out what he was saying. All of the tiny hairs on my arms stood at attention as a chill ran down my spine. My heart raced as he placed his hands gently on my shoulders and spun me around to look at him.

I lost my breath as he smirked at me. His features shouldn't have been so familiar to me already, especially not when we had yet to say a single word to each other. I drew in a sharp breath as I appreciated his looks now that I was finally up close. I could honestly say he wasn't anywhere near as attractive as I'd thought him from afar; he was far, far beyond it.

His coal-black eyes swept over me, and I couldn't help but feel that I was being evaluated even as I was assessing him. I wondered what he saw as he looked at me. Was he disappointed with what I looked like up close? Was it _me_ that he expected to come running after him?

I noticed that his resemblance to the Cullens was even more striking; he had the same pale, flawless, porcelain skin and identical dark purple circles under his eyes. I wondered again if there _was_ some family connection there. I didn't think he was Alice's brother; he looked nothing like her or her brother, Emmett, but I began to wonder whether he was her cousin or something.

He tilted his head as his own appraisal continued. Time seemed to be moving at a deathly slow pace as we stood silently staring at each other. Finally, he opened his mouth to say something. The instant his lips parted, I began to wonder what his voice would sound like. It seemed odd that I felt such a draw, such a fierce attraction to this boy— a boy whom I knew nothing about. It was especially odd considering I'd never really been interested in boys at all before the first time I saw him. It wasn't that I didn't think I would find someone I'd be interested in one day; just no one had ever turned my head that way before.

It felt like I had spent hours imagining what his first words to me would be, but realistically not even a second had passed. Finally, the moment came when his lips formed around a word and he pushed it toward me.

"Hi."

His voice was melodic and matched his looks completely but was smoother and sweeter than I had imagined it would be. It held the qualities of a snake charmer's flute, and I felt like the cobra under its spell.

"Hi," I murmured back finally when I realized I was still just standing and staring, probably with my jaw hanging open. I began to wonder what the hell I was supposed to say to the boy I'd only watched from a distance, one who spent an inordinate amount of time in the forests of Forks based on the little evidence available.

"You look absolutely stunning in that dress." He smiled shyly at me.

I glanced down self-consciously before I felt my blush creep across my cheeks. I felt ridiculous being outside in something so thin without a coat; despite the unusual sight of a sun unimpeded by clouds, it was hardly a warm day—especially under the thick, green canopy of the forest. "Umm…thanks," I said. "Uh…a friend bought it for me."

A frown cross his features for a moment before it disappeared and was replaced with his frighteningly too-familiar smirk. "Well, they should be commended on their choice. That color suits you."

I felt the heat in my cheeks warm further.

"Has anyone ever told you that you are beautiful?"

I wanted to laugh at him. Beautiful wasn't a word I would use to describe myself, and it was certainly not one I'd heard anyone else use. Instead, I shook my head nervously.

He stepped closer, causing the scent of his cologne, or whatever it was that made him smell so wonderful, to overtake my senses. It left me feeling more than a little lightheaded.

"You _are_ beautiful," he whispered. His cold breath brushed against my throat.

I wasn't sure how to respond to such an obvious and direct compliment, so I just blushed and looked at my feet as I muttered, "Thank you."

My eyes snapped up to him again when I felt his finger ever so gently caress my cheek before brushing a loose strand of hair behind my ear.

"You really are."

I could have sworn I saw him breathe deeply and swallow heavily as my cheeks flushed bright red once more.

"I'm Edward, by the way." He smiled brightly again.

I was mesmerized by the way his lips moved and the absolute perfection of his face. I stood staring at him, my eyes trailing up and down the length of his body. He tilted his head slightly to one side and his smile grew bigger. I realized I had paused a moment too long. "Bella," I murmured.

I was beginning to wonder whether he was questioning whether my mental capacity was diminished somehow. I certainly wasn't proving myself to be a master conversationalist. I decided to try to strike up some sort of witty conversation to redeem myself, but I was lost— lost in his eyes. I'd never seen eyes so dark before. They were as black as a starless night, and almost as deep. I shivered, but I couldn't be sure whether it was from the cold or because of him.

"I've been watching you," he admitted, looking down at his own feet. His admission sounded so pained I half expected him to be shuffling shyly from one foot to the other.

"Why?" I asked. My initial reaction was shock and awe, not fear as it probably should have been; like any normal person's probably would have been.

He looked up at me from between his lashes and all conscious thought was erased from my mind.

"I've never encountered anyone so captivating before," he said. "You fascinate me."

I wondered how I was still standing because my knees were like jelly, and my brain closely resembled mush. I wasn't sure what to say in response, so I settled on another muttered thank you before finally piecing together a complete sentence. "You're pretty captivating yourself."

His gazed pierced me deeply as he smirked again.

"So, do you like…live around here or something?" I asked stupidly. If it wasn't for the fact it would add to my embarrassment, I would have smacked my own forehead in punishment for asking such a stupid question.

"Or something," he murmured, before moving closer to me. As he leaned into me, I took a step back without thinking. He stalked forward toward me with his eyes never leaving mine. It felt almost like the movements of a predator chasing its prey, except he was smiling warmly and exuded confidence.

I shivered again. The air was cooling rapidly, and despite the warmth that had sparked deep in my stomach, my arms were beginning to feel the sharp sting of the cold.

"Bella," he murmured, and that one word—my own name of all things—sent flames, the like of which I'd never felt, licking throughout my body. His proximity created shivers which ran up and down my spine and made my stomach do a weird loop-de-loop thing.

I'd never before experienced the feelings he was giving me. It felt like my emotions were stuck in my throat, making it feel like my throat was constricted. I gulped down a breath painfully and blinked at him as I waited for him to continue.

"I'd very much like to kiss you."

I was shocked that he wanted to kiss me. I was more surprised that he would actually ask permission. Above everything else, I was absolutely staggered that despite this being our first conversation, I really wanted to say yes. I'd never really given the idea of kissing boys too much thought before but then, I'd never been attracted enough to anyone to _want_ to kiss them. I nodded slightly. My body took control while my head was overthinking everything as usual.

In what felt like slow-motion, he raised his hand and laid it along the side of my face, lacing his fingers gently into my hair. I flinched slightly at the coolness of his touch, realizing that the cold air must have been affecting him too.

Then time stopped.

For one perfect moment, nothing existed but the two of us, and it felt like the whole world was taking a deep breath in anticipation of what was to come. His eyes never left mine as he leaned closer and closer still. It was as if he was silently imploring me to stop him, but I couldn't. I was too lost in his presence. It was exactly like the dreams which I'd had so often since the first time I saw him, despite how few days had passed.

Finally, unable to resist the urge any longer, I closed my eyes and gave into just _feeling_. A fraction of a moment later, his lips touched mine ever so softly. I had no experience with kisses, but I knew almost immediately that something wasn't right. His lips weren't soft or malleable, and his breath wasn't warm or moist. Yet despite everything that was wrong and unexpected in our kiss, it felt so perfect. It was almost as if we fit together to make something _more_. Soft and hard, warm and cool, giving and receiving, opposites working in perfect unison to create magic.

My lips parted slightly in response to a silent request, and his lips moved quickly to fill the gap. His mouth caressed mine gently. Despite the smooth hardness of his skin, he was tender and giving as he responded to my unspoken needs. I could taste his scent on my tongue each time I drew in a breath, and I grew steadily desperate for more.

He moaned into my mouth and the sound ignited new fires. A unique burn which I'd never felt before licked fiercely between the pit of my stomach and the top of my thighs, warming my insides delightfully. Despite the warmth, I shivered again. He wrapped his arms around me tightly in what I assumed was an instinctual desire to protect me from the cold, and yet, it chilled me further.

I was able to ignore the cold as his mouth continued to move steadily against mine. My body surrendered into him completely as he easily supported my body weight, holding me to him tightly but never tight enough. He deepened the kiss again and I moaned in response. I felt wanton, giving so much in my very first kiss. I felt useless, completely uncertain about whether I was doing it right, but most of all, I felt desperate, never wanting it to stop.

I snaked my hands into his hair, scratching his scalp lightly as I tried to pull him closer to me, but he wasn't near enough. His fingers skimmed the material over the base of my spine, stoking the fire within me again and again.

I panted as he continued his assault. I knew I needed more oxygen than I was able to get, but I was unwilling to exchange the sensation of his lips on mine for something as trivial as air.

"Hmm, Bella," he murmured, pulling away finally to force me to take a breath. "That was everything I'd dreamed it would be and more."

"You've been dreaming of me?" I asked reflexively.

He smiled wryly. "Yeah, something like that."

I sighed heavily as thoughts and memories of my dreams came flooding back to me. Somehow I knew beginning that night my dreams would be even more explicit. I had felt his lips on mine and could easily imagine the sensation of them running over other parts of my body. The feeling of his lips murmuring sweet nothings against my neck lingered as did the sensation of his fingers tracing my cheekbone. It felt as though I had been branded; the lingering burn reminded me that I was his.

I shook my head to clear the ridiculous notion. The forest, the closeness to him, the dream-like feeling of the day, it was all rubbing off on me and making me stupid. He was just a teenager, just a regular, beautiful teenager who happened to be an excellent kisser. That didn't give me a claim over him or him over me. The spell of his touch was broken as those thoughts became more and more real to me. I longed to be back in that place again, back where it was me and him, and we were all that mattered. Unfortunately, my obligations had already begun to seep back into my mind.

I began to wonder how long I'd been gone, and how long I had spent kissing my forest Adonis.

"Shoot!" I exclaimed. "What time is it?"

He chuckled lightly and held up his wrists to show that they were both empty.

"I have to get back." I backed away unwillingly, staring wistfully at him as I did. "I have a thing I need to go to."

"Do you _have_ to go?" he asked, almost petulantly. "Maybe we could just stay here instead?"

I considered staying with him, getting to know him some more. It really was an appealing thought, but I had promised Alice I would go to the prom. I wasn't the sort of person who could turn away from a promise, whatever the personal cost. I still couldn't be sure why she had a sudden interest in me, but she had begged and pleaded with me to ensure I would go. She'd even gone out of her way to invite me to go with her family. I couldn't, in good conscience, just stand her up.

I just had to hope that the vision who had appeared to me like Pan, straight out of A Midsummer Night's Dream, would understand.

"I really do need to go," I answered finally, albeit regretfully.

"Well, maybe I could accompany you?" he asked.

A tiny part of me was screaming out a warning that there was something strange about the whole situation, but the rest of me was too overwhelmed by his interest in me that I didn't _want_ to question it too intensely. If I stopped and asked him why he was interested, maybe he wouldn't be anymore.

"You don't even know where I'm going," I stated.

He chuckled. "Prom, right?"

"How did you…" I trailed off and shook my head with a smile. I was going to ask how he knew, but then I realized in a town this size everyone knew everything that was happening. Apparently, that even extended to teenagers who spent their days hanging out in the forests around town.

"Does it matter?"

I shook my head. "I guess not."

"Bella, would you like to accompany me to the prom?" he asked, his voice so soft and yearning that I couldn't have answered any differently if I'd tried.

"Yes," I breathed. I didn't point out the fact that since it was my school, and my prom, _he_ would technically be accompanying me.

"I'll pick you up in an hour."

"Okay," I squeaked.

He grinned at me before I turned and ran back toward Charlie's house. I took the memory of him standing there, watching me leave with that damned smirk on his face, all the way back to the house.

I rang Alice and made an excuse about why I wasn't able to go with her family anymore. She pleaded with me, but after I promised for the third time that I would definitely be at prom, she finally relented.

As I finished getting ready, the image of his eyes stayed with me. I could almost feel them burning into me as I fixed my hair and makeup. For one moment, I could have sworn I saw them staring back at me from the mirror. Every time I closed my eyes, I felt the memory of his lips on mine. I longed to experience it again; even though, part of me was on edge over everything that had happened and how quickly it had progressed. My dress swished across my thighs, rubbing lightly and teasing my skin. I imagined his fingers tracing the same line and groaned softly with desire. I had no idea what it was about him that made me respond so desperately, but I couldn't help it.

I closed my eyes and exhaled loudly, trying to force out my desire in the same breath. I wanted to put myself in a position where I wouldn't feel the bitter sting of rejection if he didn't show; part of me was almost certain that he wouldn't. I couldn't understand his interest in me—truthfully, I could barely understand my own interest in him when I knew as little about him as I did.

One thing I knew for certain was with one kiss, he had awoken something within me that had never before existed and that wasn't willing to be pushed away easily. Call it lust or call it hormones; it didn't really matter what the title was, he was the cause, and I wanted him. I wanted to feel his body pressed against mine as we kissed. I wanted to feel his fingertips running across my body. The base of my spine tingled in memory of where his hands had rested as he'd kissed me. I wanted that feeling to spread over my whole body.

Before I had a chance to get more swept up in fantasies about Edward, the doorbell rang. I raced to the window to see if I could see who it was. I was dismayed to see the clouds were back, covering last rays of the dying day. I squinted through the bleakness and noticed an unfamiliar silver car parked in the drive.

My heart leapt into my throat. I had no way of knowing whether the Volvo belonged to _him_ or not, but I could only hope it did. For the second time in one day, I ran down the stairs without regard for anything other than what would await me at the bottom.

I raced to the door and swung it open. I stood stock still, panting slightly, while my eyes drank in the vision that stood in front of me. I wasn't sure whether my breath was short because of my dash down the stairs or if it was the sight of Edward in a tuxedo had literally stolen it from me.

"Hi," I breathed out finally—the first one to speak this time.

Edward stood wearing that goddamn smirk, holding out a corsage for me. His eyes were wide, and I worried I had made a terrible mistake with my makeup or something.

"Wow!" he exclaimed finally. "I thought you were beautiful before, but now you are just downright dangerous."

"I think you are the dangerous one," I murmured under my breath.

His eyes shot to mine. "What?" he asked suddenly. There was some hidden concern on his face, but it only lasted a second before being replaced by _that_ smirk.

"You look really good in a tux." I couldn't even begin to think of the reasons why he had a tux so readily available, but he looked too good to question.

He laughed softly. "Not bad for something I just picked up."

He winked at me, and I swear my insides turned themselves upside-down, or inside-out, or something. It felt strange and incredible all at the same time.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" I asked. I felt like I was dragging him along to a horrible event; even though, he had been the one to suggest it.

His grin grew exponentially bigger. "Oh, I couldn't imagine a better way to spend the evening."

I felt my face heating, and he swept one cool finger across my cheek. He licked his lips, and my eyes were drawn to the movement.

"Beautiful Bella, you are so perfect."

I waited for him to lean in to kiss me, but instead, he slipped the corsage onto my wrist. I stared at it, and then back at his lips with barely concealed disappointment and he laughed. "There'll be time for more later. For now, your chariot awaits."

He waited patiently while I ran back up to my room to get my jacket, took a moment to collect my thoughts, and then he escorted me out of my house and into his waiting car. I hated the idea of prom and had been dreading it up until I knew for certain Edward would be my date. Now, the idea was quite enticing.

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**A/N:- I had this really long, well thought-out AN here before, something about how much I appreciate reviews, how much I love hearing your thoughts on everything I write. It was all true, and now it's all gone because I am a dork and didn't save the changes in the chapter before clicking the 'X' button to upload the file :S **

**So here goes take two:**

**Firstly, I wanted to thank Ysar who surprised me with a banner for this story. I had to share it for two reasons; one, I think it's a very fitting EPOV banner and two, I love sharing the warm glow I feel when someone does something nice! http :/ / yfrog. com/kh92np**

**Secondly, just know that I adore hearing things you have to say about my stories, whether it's via reviews or on twitter (at)mpg82, or well anywhere else you find me (I'm on facebook – Missile-Proof Glass). **

**Thirdly, I just wanted to give a subtle warning about some of the stuff upcoming in this story. Some chapters will have things that not everyone will find palatable. I'll try to give appropriate warnings on each chap, although it's hard without giving too much away. **


	5. Chapter 4:Lock Jaw

**Chapter 4: Lock Jaw**

_A/N: I own nothing. Characters are all Stephenie Meyers' creations really. I just enjoy playing with them. Love & kisses to my fic-wifeys (Gabbysway2 & CorrinaTFF) . _

_Thank you to Robrator for my beautiful banner __(http :/ / yfrog. com / h0znr8j)_

_Also, thank you to Ysar who surprised me with a banner for this story too (a very fitting EPOV banner me thinks) (http :/ / yfrog. com/kh92np_

_A huge thank you must go to __ATaletobeTold and Albymangroves for __the work they did to get this chapter into shape. _

_They fixed it, but I meddled and may have broken it again._

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**~ How would you like to bite that in the ass, develop lock jaw and be dragged to death ~**

**~ Willie Nelson ~**

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- EPOV -

When Bella had pulled away from me in the forest, I had almost lost it. It took every ounce of restraint I'd learned over the years to not just grab her and sink my teeth deep into that fragile neck of hers, especially after such a delicious kiss. The taste of her lingered on my lips long after I'd promised to take her to prom, and she'd run back to her house.

Despite my initial disappointment at not being able to claim her immediately, I realized her prom was going to be the perfect opportunity to dangle my prize in front of those who sought to keep her from me. I knew Alice was going to be there; I'd heard Bella on the phone with her earlier. I could only assume that meant that her meddlesome mate and oafish brother would be there too. I didn't have to worry about them trying anything to stop me either; they valued their precious pretend human lives far too much. As long as I did nothing to risk their exposure, they'd be bound to do the same.

After Bella was out of sight and safely back in her house, I kicked into action. Even as I asked her to the prom, my mind had been running through my options and how long it would take me to get everything organized.

I ran to Port Angeles. The fifteen minutes it would take me to weave my way through the forest to get there would be well worth the journey. I realized that Bella's tentative friendship with Alice had started with them shopping, so maybe Bella was more enticed by the material things than I'd first anticipated. It didn't really surprise me, and it's not like it matter anyway. In fact, it made things easier; most of the girls I'd taken had been easily enticed by material things, so I had a few tricks up my sleeve.

As soon as I arrived in Port Angeles, I hunted down a shop where I would be able to get dressed. Not having the cover of darkness, and the fact that the shops were still open, made my task a little more difficult but not impossible. Nothing was impossible with my speed and strength.

As it turned out, luck was on my side. A man—who happened to be close enough to my size—climbed from a car in front of the shop just as I arrived. I watched as he entered the shop and returned a few moments later with a black garment bag. His choice in cars left a little to be desired though; it was a silver Volvo. I briefly wondered whether I should wait and try to get something with just a little more flash before remembering I was on a strict deadline. I decided I couldn't really look a gift horse in the mouth.

I watched as the man popped the trunk and laid the garment bag out along the floor. He left the hatch open as he turned to get another outfit. Usually when choosing a car, I would have at least considered taking the owner as a snack, but I couldn't risk drinking from anyone else when I was so close to getting what I wanted. I was certain if I did, my eyes would frighten Bella away. While I was hungry, and they were black, I could almost pass for human, but there was no way I could convince someone to be with me if my eyes were red.

While the man had his back turned, I took the opportunity to dash across the road and dive into his trunk, scrambling quickly over the back seat. I kept my mind open, concentrating hard on all the thoughts in the immediate area. I wanted warning if anyone had seen me as well as needing to keep tags on the Volvo owner.

I sat waiting, listening for a few moments, trying to decide my next action. I could hotwire the car in about three seconds. If I did that and left the owner alive, he would most likely report the car stolen almost immediately. If I waited for him to return, I would have the key, but I'd also have a dead body that I'd need to dispose of.

When I heard in his mind that he'd finished his tasks, I decided to wait just a few more moments before I made a final decision. I was glad I'd waited in the end because the guy pulled up in front of a house on the outskirts of Port Angeles with his plans for a night of romance running through his head. I smirked as his thoughts told me of a night of fun and debauchery. Apparently, it was the night before he was due to be best man at his best friend's wedding, so they were hitting the pitiful excuses for strip clubs that Port Angeles has to offer. He disappeared inside for less than a minute before a taxi pulled up in front of his house and he left for the night.I smirked, knowing it meant I had the whole night before he'd notice his car was missing.

I hotwired the car, hoping that Bella would be oblivious to the fact that I didn't have a key and drove as quickly as I could back to Forks. I stopped a few blocks away from Bella's house to steal new plates for the Volvo. It was a basic scam and wouldn't hold up at all if the police did even the most basic search, but I hoped it would buy me a little bit of time after the Volvo was reported stolen.

While I was switching the plates, I threw on the tuxedo from the back of the stolen car. I didn't usually worry myself too much with clothes, just stole whatever I needed to fit into the local area, but I knew the tux would look good on me. The contrast of black against my pale skin would draw her eyes to me, and I knew most women found the perpetual messy state of my hair appealing.

There was only one thing that was missing if I was going to take Bella on a proper date: flowers. I stopped at the nearest florist, and using some money I found tucked away in the Volvo, I actually purchased Bella a corsage. It was further than I had gone before, but the promise of her blood was so much more than anyone else's ever had.

After I'd arrived at Bella's house, I rang the doorbell and waited. I heard her thundering down the stairs and waited for the moment she would pull the door open. I held my breath and positioned the corsage in a place where she would see it.

When she finally opened the door, I was shocked into stillness. I'd thought that she was attractive when I'd kissed her in the forest, but with the tiniest hint of make-up, she'd transformed herself from a main meal to dessert. The smoky lines around her eyes made her irises pop, and the colors she'd selected for her eyelids warmed the brown until they were like liquid chocolate.

The dress was as exquisite as it had been in the forest, but now she'd teamed it with a pair of shiny stockings which made her legs look longer and leaner. All in all, she was absolutely breathtaking and, I couldn't wait to ravish her.

After converting for far too long, I was finally able to lead her into the car. I worried momentarily about my control in such a confined space, but I figured if I concentrated on the benefits of waiting, I'd be able to manage it. I held her door open for her since I'd learned how to be a gentleman during my human life, and I knew that girls loved it. Even in today's society of 'equal rights', girls loved a chivalrous man.

I prepared myself as best as possible for the onslaught of sensory overload while I walked around the car to the driver's side. I stopped breathing the instant I pulled the door open. My ability to resist the call of blood may have been strong enough to wait for the perfect moment, but with her looking as good as she did, and sitting so close, I wasn't sure I would survive the journey if I could smell her as well—or at least I was sure _she _wouldn't survive it.

We hadn't gone more than a mile down the road before I realized that my attempts to avoid her scent would prove a little fruitless; I could still tasteher on my tongue. I was still tempted by my perfect memories of our time together— of her lips, her smell and her body. I continued to hold my breath, because breathing would have certainly made it harder to control myself. I decided to distract myself. I clenched the steering wheel and tried not to think of the many ways I could take her. The taste of her on my tongue continued to tease me and made my task infinitely more difficult. I longed to touch her, just to feel the warmth of her skin. I desperately wanted to taste her too, but I hoped that touch would suffice for the short term. Otherwise, I would just have to give up all pretence and take her then and there.

On the pretense of holding the handbrake, I reached my hand out and gently stroked the outside of her thigh. Her breath hitched, and she pressed her leg lightly against my fingers. I kept my eyes on the road, pretending to be oblivious to the fact I was tenderly rubbing her leg. On the contrary, I was acutely aware of the effect my delicate ministrations were having on her. Even without the full benefit of my sense of smell, I was acutely aware of her arousal. She shifted more regularly, her breaths came in steady pants, and her heart beat just a little harder and faster.

While my eyes remained on the road, I shifted my fingers a little further until they were resting on the top of her thigh. She gasped a little and adjusted herself in her seat again. I smirked, gaining strength from the knowledge that I could do that to her so easily. I'd never really doubted my ability to get her, but her silent mind did make things a little less obvious.

I continued my gentle stroking motion as I moved my fingers further around her thigh. I turned and gave her a little smile, knowing it was impossible to pretend I wasn't aware of my movements anymore. She blushed and dropped her eyes away from mine. In that motion, her face told me as much as her thoughts ever would have; she wanted me, but she didn't think she should.

I licked my lips, tasting the scent of her lingering delicately on them, then I pushed my hand a little further around her leg and higher up her thigh until I could feel the cotton of her panties beneath the silky pantyhose she had on. She gasped and I took a moment to ensure she wasn't going to ask me to stop or something just as terrible. She looked shocked and her teeth were so deep into her lip that I was almost surprised she hadn't broken the soft pink skin. I mimicked her expression, desperate to take a deep breath of her intoxicating scent but knowing I couldn't.

I extended one finger out a little further and brushed gently across the seam of the pantyhose. I closed my eyes as I felt the texture of her soft curls pressing against the cotton. She cried out softly and dropped her head to her chest. She reached out and grabbed the door for support as she tilted her hips, making my finger contact her again. I wasn't surprised to notice the slight dampening of her panties.

My own body was reacting to the soft noises she was making. I was growing desperately hard and was only _just_ able to avoid pulling the car over and taking everything promised to me by her panting, wanting body. It was only the knowledge of a prolonged meal that stopped me.

I adjusted myself in my seat so that she could see the reaction I had to her. I didn't want to shy away from it, I needed her to know. If she knew what she did to me, she would feel in control. In my experience, control usually equated to permission. Once she gave me her permission, I would enjoy everything she had to offer.

I continued to stroke her gently until the school parking lot came into view. She looked almost disappointed as the ride came to an end. I smirked at her and gave her a wink that held my own promise. I would dazzle her and take her to the very height of exhilaration. She would be mine.

I climbed quickly from the car and headed around to her side as quickly as I dared, pausing only momentarily to relish the scent and subtle taste of her arousal on my fingers. I just wished the car ride was a little longer so that I could have finished pleasing her. Her disappointed glance in my direction told me she felt the same.

I helped her from the car, and she blushed again as she adjusted her dress, smoothing it out over her thighs. As she walked off, I pushed closed the door, and then I reached out for her, pulling her gently back into me and pressing her body between my own and the car. My mouth searched desperately for her, and I relished in the knowledge that I was so close to my goal when she parted her legs and tilted her hips toward me allowing my body to slide in between her thighs.

"Soon," I murmured the promise to myself as much as to her. I pushed myself off the car and offered her my arm.

Leading Bella into the prom was much more fun than I would have ever imagined. The thoughts of every person there were tuned in to the two of us. The boys were jealous of the one who had finally been able to crack Bella's frosty, no-boys-allowed exterior—that little revelation surprised me. The girls were envious that Bella had found a seemingly unattached, attractive boy that none of them knew. A few of the more wicked girls convinced themselves that I had to be Bella's cousin or something, and she'd asked me to go with her as a favour.

One of those girls headed straight for Bella with horrid, jealous thoughts in her head.

"Hi, Jess," Bella said.

"Oh my God, Bella! Where on Earth did you find _him_!" She inclined her head toward me.

I disregarded the fact that this 'Jess' was speaking about me as if I wasn't there; it meant that I didn't have to speak to her either.

"Oh! I, uh, I found him the forest," Bella said and I could hear the smile in her voice. I glanced down to see her eyes twinkling up at me. I was pleasantly surprised by her unassuming wit; she may have more personality that I first thought. I winked at her, and her heart skipped a beat in response. It really was too fucking easy with her.

Jess laughed far too enthusiastically—an obnoxious braying sound that wasn't entirely removed from the sound of a donkey. She began to say something else, but I tuned her out because there was something far more interesting brewing.

_You have some nerve coming here! _

My eyes scanned the lot for the annoying little creature who was mentally shouting at me. Once I found her, I met her eye and gave a little smirk. She knew as well as I did that she couldn't do anything to stop me. All at once, I saw her mind shuffle through the possibilities of confronting me, and each scenario ended the same way—with her family being outed for being something 'else' and having to leave Forks.

I wrapped my arm around Bella's shoulder, and she leaned her body into me. I had to stifle my laughter at Alice's reaction. Her mate stared at me viciously, and I was surprised to learn that he also had a talent. Alice and Carlisle had kept that quiet, but it didn't matter; the ability to influence moods would hardly affect my plans.

"Shall we?" I asked Bella, cutting off the obnoxious brunette who was in the middle of some speech about her prom dress. Bella didn't seem to mind at all as she smiled up at me and mouthed, _'Thank you.'_

I bought the tickets and led Bella into the school gym which had been converted into something reminiscent of a prom scene from a bad horror movie. There was more crepe paper and streamers in that one room than on the rest of the Olympic Peninsula. I had no idea who decorated it, but they had no clue about good taste; unless their plan was gaudy and overdone, in which case they nailed it.

"Gosh, it looks like the end scene from Buffy the Vampire Slayer in here," Bella murmured.

I laughed as I recalled the atrocity that was 'Buffy'. The whole movie was so ludicrous that it could have easily been Volturi propaganda, designed to perpetuate the myths about our kind. After all, our prey seemed happier when they thought there was actually a way to fight off an attacking vampire. As if any human would be able to best a vampire, especially a girl who wasn't even out of high-school who was armed with nothing more than a stick. I could remember precisely when the movie came out because it had so many girls whom I was considering for selection begin to picture themselves as the snarky and powerful vampire slayer.

It was rather amusing watching their dreams, mostly because when I began to pursue the girls, I always seemed to star as the hapless hero, and not the villain, of the movie. At least until the TV show by the same name started, and then, at least one of my hunted imagined me as the vampire with a soul who fell in love with the slayer. She had been more than surprised when her own dream tryst with her personal 'Angel' had similarly devastating consequences to the ones that had befallen the title character.

I winked at her. "Good thing there are no vampires around to slaughter the masses."

Even across the room, I heard the sound of chaos emerge as one of the Cullens—the blonde, stuck-up one, Rosalie—clutched the drink she was using as a prop too tightly and spilled the contents over her dress. I chuckled to myself, and Bella looked at me inquisitively, but I decided to redirect her interest.

"Shall we dance?" I asked.

Bella froze and looked truly scared for the first time I had seen. "I don't dance."

"_You_ don't really have to; I do. After all, it's all in the leading, and luckily for you, I'm a great dancer."

She was tentative at first, but I wrapped my arm around her waist and lifted her so that I was supporting most of her weight. She took advantage of our proximity and leaned into me. I was overtaken by her scent; my throat flamed and my body tensed instantly. Every cell in my body screamed out in celebration at the hint of what was to come. I wanted to take her straight home so that she could fulfil her silent promise. Unfortunately, Alice's mind showed her my plan, and she quickly warned her siblings. I decided we would stay for the moment at least because I discovered a surprise advantage in having Alice nearby.

As I twirled Bella across the dance floor, I imagined my final moments with her. I began to plan everything from location to position, and each time I changed a tiny element, Alice's visions swung to show me the outcome of my choice. I watched over and over again as I sunk my teeth into Bella's lovely, pale neck and began to drink the sweet nectar within. I had a smile a mile wide on my face and was beginning to grow decidedly harder. I clutched Bella's warm body a little tighter to my own, relieved about one thing. In each vision, no matter the decision I had made on how or where, Alice and her cronies were not there to stop me.

They would fail, and _I _would win.

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**A/N:- Hi everyone, I realised I've been posting on the run without ANs for the last few chaps I've posted across my stories so I just wanted to say Hi! **

**As most of you will know, I am an out & proud Aussie and finally the fandom has the contest all of us from the land down under have been dying for-one that actually encourages the use of the letter U in the proper places in words. It's the 'Throw Another Ward on the Barbie' contest. I hope some of you will consider entering and all of you will read, review & vote when the entries are posted. Details are here http:/www(dot)fanfiction(dot)net/u/3048236/ and while you are at it go follow Boganward - (at)Wardonthebarbie - on Twitter. **


	6. Chapter 5: Reality Bites

**Chapter 5: Reality Bites**

_A/N: I own nothing. Characters are all Stephenie Meyers' creations really. I just enjoy playing with them. Love & kisses to my fic-wifeys (Gabbysway2 & CorrinaTFF) . _

_Thank you to Robrator for my beautiful banner __(http :/ / yfrog. com / h0znr8j)_

_Also, thank you to Ysar who surprised me with a banner for this story too (a very fitting EPOV banner me thinks) (http :/ / yfrog. com/kh92np)_

_A huge thank you must go to __ATaletobeTold and Albymangroves for __the work they did to get this chapter into shape. _

_They fixed it, but I meddled and may have broken it again._

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**~ Reality doesn't bite, rather our perception of reality bites ~**

**~Anthony J. D'Angelo ~**

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- BPOV -

I was still shaky from the car ride—and Edward's magical fingers—when Jess bounded over to me in the parking lot, asking a thousand and one questions about Edward. I wasn't paying as much attention to her as I usually might have though because I was watching Edward. I followed his eye-line, trying to see what had captured his attention. All I could see was Jasper Hale, but Edward's eyes were settled somewhere slightly to the left of him and a little lower. I figured it had to be Alice.

I shifted slightly so that I could look find a line of sight to the pristine pair, between the bodies milling around the parking lot. Alice seemed to be watching Edward intently. I twisted my head back to look at Edward and confirmed what I suspected; the two of them were eyeballing each other quite openly. I suddenly felt self-conscious.

_Do they know each other? _I wondered. _Did they used to date? Is that why they are shooting daggers at each other?_

Edward's arm tightened around me, pulling my body closer to his, but I couldn't help but wonder whether it was an attempt to make Alice jealous.

_Was that why he was in Forks? Was that why she seemed so intent on keeping me away from him? _

My eyes sought out Jasper again. I figured he would probably be showing some signs of anxiety if there was anything I should be worried about. When I saw him, he was also staring openly at Edward, and I felt a wave of discomfort momentarily wash over me. For a fraction of a second, I wanted to shrug away from Edward. I wanted to run and hide away from the world. Revulsion and disgust ran through my veins.

I blinked and when I opened my eyes, Jess was there, standing right in front of me again, obstructing my vision and forcing me to engage in small talk. I just didn't have the patience for her, not with everything else going on . She began to dither on about how she'd finally managed to find a dress that made her boobs look just right. I wanted nothing more than to rip her dress off and shove it down her throat to see what difference that would make to her goddamn cleavage. If nothing else, it was sure to silence the tripe coming out of her mouth.

Not a moment later, I was left reeling, wondering what the hell had come over me and where the feelings had come from. I'd had much more inane discussions with Jess before without experiencing the desire to do her physical harm.

"Shall we?" Edward asked, indicating the door to the gym, and I gladly took the opportunity to get away from Jess and the strange, almost foreign feelings that she'd somehow evoked in me.

Edward led me into prom and somehow managed to coerce me onto the dance floor. We danced together fluidly as he twirled me across the floor song after song. I practically had to beg him to stop so that I could have a drink. I was surprised that he wasn't dying of thirst the way he spun me around so enthusiastically.

We came to a stop on the edge of the dance floor, and he disappeared, only to return an instant later with one cup of punch which he offered to me.

"Aren't you thirsty?" I asked.

He chuckled quietly.

I tilted my head in confusion.

"Desperately," he murmured finally. "But I'll satisfy _my_ thirst later. I just want to make sure _your_ needs are met first."

I blushed and turned away from his ultra-attentive eyes.

He chuckled again and, once I had finished my drink, offered me his arm to continue dancing.

The same cycle continued most of the night, and to my own surprise, I found I was actually having _fun_; at prom, no less.

Eventually, the effects of drinking so much punch caught up with me, and I needed to make an excuse to go to the restroom.

~ 0 ~

I let out a little gasp when I opened the cubicle door and came face to face with Alice.

_Seriously, how does she do that?_

I could have sworn I was alone only a moment earlier. Her sudden presence reminded me of the thoughts I'd been having earlier in the evening. Was it really possible that she and Edward had been involved somehow? Even being spun repeatedly in Edward's arms, I hadn't missed the glimpses and glares they'd been casting at each other most of the night. Or the wry smile that Edward wore whenever she looked our way which was quite frequently.

"You have to stay away from Edward," Alice warned, grabbing my arm lightly.

"Why?" I pulled out of her grasp and headed to the sink to wash my hands.

"He isn't who you think," she said softly behind me.

"And what makes you say that?" I challenged.

"He isn't the hero, Bella. He's the bad guy."

I met her eyes in the mirror. "How would you know? I didn't think you knew him. You certainly never seemed to see him when I tried to point him out."

She had the decency to look ashamed. "I just hoped that you wouldn't notice him. He's bad news."

I rolled my eyes. "What makes you say that?"

"I know him." She eyed me speculatively, almost as if she was trying to figure out how much to tell me.

I turned and rested against the sink. "How? Did you two date?" I tried not to sound bitter or jealous as I asked, but I had no doubt I failed miserably.

She looked disgusted for half a second before laughing. "No, we definitely did _not_ date."

"Then how do you know him?" I had so many more questions I was dying to ask. Why was it that every time I was with him, I felt almost as if I was in a dream-like state? Why did he have such an effect on me and over my body? Why did he ask me to the prom?

"He was the first one that Carlisle...fostered." She paused for the smallest of moments, but it was enough to make me think she was originally going to say something else. "After Carlisle married Esme, Edward left."

I didn't even pretend to understand what she was saying. "Why?"

"He didn't agree with certain_ elements_ of Carlisle's lifestyle."

"Are you deliberately talking in riddles?" I asked. I was exasperated beyond belief and dying to be back in Edward's arms where I didn't have to think—where I could just _feel_.

She shook her head sadly. "I wish I could to tell you more, Bella, but I can't."

"Then don't ask me to stay away from him," I said fiercely. I had absolutely no clue where the fire inside me was coming from, but I was relishing in it. I pushed myself off the sink and headed back toward the dance.

"Ask him about the Volvo," Alice said finally, just as I opened the door. "Ask him why he doesn't have a key."

I turned back to her, frowning, but she'd disappeared, probably into one of the cubicles.

I had barely taken too steps into the corridor outside of the restrooms when I bumped into Edward. His teeth were clenched tightly together, and he stared furiously at the door I'd just emerged from.

"Edward?" I asked softly, placing my palm on his chest.

He looked down suddenly as if my voice had stunned him out of some trance.

"Shall we go?" he asked, his voice and demeanor rougher than I'd ever heard it.

"Umm…" I wasn't sure what I should say; I was a little taken aback by his sudden personality shift. It hit me again that I really didn't know Edward at all. _Maybe Alice was right…_

"I'm sorry," he murmured, sliding his fingers along my chin and guiding my face up to look at him. He bent down slightly and rested his forehead on mine. "The Cullens and I have a bit of a history. It's an old disagreement, and I'm afraid it's not very pleasant. I had hoped they wouldn't try to drag you into it though. I guess I should have known better."

In one quietly uttered statement, I had received more honesty from Edward than Alice had given me in all of our conversations. Stunned into action by his truthfulness, I took the initiative and grasped his face lightly between my hands before pressing my lips against his. He seemed surprised initially but then relaxed into the kiss. His hands found my waist, and we spent a few moments locked tightly against one another before being broken apart by one of the mothers who was helping chaperone the dance.

"Let's go," I said, taking his hand firmly in mine to lead him from the gym and back to the Volvo.

Edward opened my door for me, and I realized that Alice was right—he didn't have a key, the car wasn't even locked. I didn't know how I hadn't noticed it before, but then the previous drive hadn't given me much opportunity to think. I climbed into the car and pulled on my seatbelt. I was definitely going to get to the bottom of it on the drive home, and I was determined not to let Edward's wandering fingers distract me.

"Edward…I ran into Alice in the bathroom."

His knuckles tightened around the steering wheel, but his face didn't change.

"She…" I swallowed heavily, wondering how he would react to my question. "She said I should ask why you don't have a key for this car."

"Did she just?" he murmured, but he didn't sound surprised. Maybe he'd heard her? He had been just outside the door after all.

"Well?" I prompted after it was evident he wasn't going to willingly add anything further.

He surprised me by suddenly pulling the car off to the side of the road. He leaned forward against the steering wheel, and he looked completely distraught. I wanted to wrap him up in my arms and tell him that everything was going to be okay—even though I didn't know what was wrong.

"I stole the car," he whispered finally. The hurt and shame in his voice made my heart break and concerned me much more than his admission—at least initially.

"What?" I asked when the reality of his words sank in. I was sitting in a stolen car.

"I used to live with the Cullens. I guess you could say I was Carlisle's first adopted son; he took me in after my parents died."

I felt my mouth fall open at the absolute honesty he was giving me; Alice had danced around the exact same admission for much longer.

"We had a falling out a while ago. I couldn't live with his rules anymore. He expected me to be perfect all the time. I had to live on a very strict diet, and I just couldn't do it anymore."

He turned his eyes on me, and I felt myself nodding in sympathy.

"I've had to fend for myself since then, finding meals as often as I can. And then I saw you, and I was taken aback by just how beautiful you are and by everything about you. I couldn't admit to you that I was just a runaway; I was terrified you'd reject me. For one night, I wanted to pretend I could live just like everyone else. I wanted to pretend I was normal and was just a guy driving to collect his pretty girl and take her to the prom."

By the end of his admission, he was wrapped in my arms with his head resting over my heart.

"So you _stole a car_?" I asked incredulously.

"I borrowed it," he said. "Without permission."

"That's stealing."

"I was going to take it back tomorrow, and I didn't think Carlisle would mind."

"Wait…it's Carlisle's?"

He nodded against me. "He has so many cars he never drives them all. I know I should have asked, but I was so scared he would say no. I was worried you would think less of me if I didn't pick you up properly."

I bit my lip to avoid saying the words that were on the tip of my tongue, _'Aw, poor baby'_. I also managed to hold my fingers still, despite their desire to run through his hair. He'd obviously been through so much, was it really too much to offer him a little forgiveness and understanding?

"You'll return the car tonight," I stated, making sure he knew this was non-negotiable if he wanted us to go any further. Knowing that he was willing to go to such extremes to impress me was actually quite empowering, even if I didn't agree with his methods. "I can come with you if you'd like some support?"

He shook his head quickly. "No, it will be better if I do it alone. Can I please take you home first though? I couldn't live with myself if something happened to you because of my stupidity."

I breathed out, knowing the risk I was about to take letting him drop me to my house in a stolen car. "Okay."

He nuzzled into me for another moment before sitting back up in the driver's seat.

The atmosphere in the car was quiet and tentative for the rest of the trip back to my house. When we pulled up I asked the question that I'd been holding in since he'd told me the truth. "Do you have somewhere to sleep tonight?"

He shrugged. "I'm sure I'll find something." He smiled sadly and winked at me. "I always do."

His cavalier attitude to his situation made my heart break. I placed my hand on his leg. "You can stay with me if you like?"

"What would your family say?"

"There's only my dad, and I know he wouldn't approve, but I wouldn't be able to sleep without knowing you were safe."

I thought I saw the ghost of a smile on his lips. "Are you sure?"

"Positively."

"If you're certain…" he paused and I nodded to let him know that I was.

"Okay, I'll be back later. After I've apologized to Carlisle, of course."

I nodded and pushed my door open.

"Bella?" His voice was soft.

I turned back to face him and his lips were just inches from mine.

"I _will_ be here later. I promise."

He closed the distance easily, and I felt his tongue sliding gently across my lip. I pushed my own tongue forward to meet it, and we kissed delicately for a few moments before I pulled away.

"Later," I promised myself as much as him.

I took a moment to calm myself after leaving the car. I knew Charlie would be waiting up for me, and I didn't want to walk in the door looking all sexed up.

"How was the dance?" he asked.

I jumped a little; he was sitting in the dark so I hadn't immediately noticed him. When I turned to face him, the flickering light coming off the silent TV made him look eerie and a little fiendish.

"Good," I murmured. "Fun."

"I'm glad you decided to go. I leave you alone far too much. I'm glad you are making friends."

I heard the _finally_ that he didn't actually add.

"Me too, Dad."

I raced upstairs, trying not to think about the fact that I would be smuggling a boy into my room in a short time. I justified it to myself easily. I was helping someone in need, that's all there was to it. One night's accommodation until we could find something more permanent for him.

Besides, Charlie would be at the station early the following day and would never know.

~ 0 ~

It was a little after midnight when Edward finally arrived. I had expected him to throw pebbles at the house, or something similar to try to get my attention, so I yelped slightly when he jumped in through the window and landed lithely on the floor. He was wearing jeans, a tight fitting t-shirt and a light jacket. I pondered for half a second, wondering where he'd got the tux from, where it had gone, and where he'd found his current outfit. I wanted to ask him, but there was a much more pressing concern.

"How did you get up here?" I asked leaning out of the window and looking down to the ground. It was so far away. I was on the second storey; I never had visitors come in via the window.

"I climbed the tree." He shrugged.

My gaze trailed to the tree in question, and I noticed one branch almost reach over to the window, but it was narrow and I wouldn't have thought it would have supported _my_ weight, let alone his.

"You must have the balance of a cat," I murmured.

He smirked widely. "Something like that."

"You say that a lot," I pointed out.

He chuckled. "Are you sure you're okay with me spending the night here? Didn't you say your dad would be upset?"

I shrugged. "He'd flip, but what he doesn't know won't hurt him."

Edward raised his eyebrow at me. "So if he barges in while I'm asleep on the floor you'll, what, hide me in the cupboard?"

"Something like that." I winked at him.

"Shall I take the floor?" he asked, looking around nervously. "Or maybe the rocker?"

I was tempted to say yes because the idea of sharing my bed seemed a little too intimate, but then I looked at him and that _something_ that he'd awoken inside me spoke up. "No, I'm sure we can both squeeze onto the bed."

He swallowed heavily. "Are you sure?"

I closed the distance between us and pulled on his shirt, yanking him into me. "Absolutely positive."

He bent down and kissed me. "If you're certain," he murmured between sweet kisses along my throat.

I was beyond words and nodded. I stepped back away from him, trailing my fingers across his stomach before clutching his hand and pulling him toward the bed. We moved in harmony as we climbed into the bed. He lay down on his side, and I snuggled against him. He was cold from the night air—and because of whatever it was that made his skin so cool and smooth—but he tucked the blankets between us to make sure I was warm. He wrapped his arm around me possessively.

"You're mine," he whispered.

His words, spoken with such tender needfulness, sent a shiver down my spine. I tried to justify to myself again why I felt so drawn to him, why I was willing to overlook the fact that he'd stolen a car, but I couldn't. He made me feel giddy and reckless. When I was by his side, I didn't have to think, I could just react. I knew that as long as I lived, I might never again feel the way I did with him in that moment.

We talked for hours, always about me. When I pressed him for information on how his confrontation with Carlisle had gone, he just murmured that it was too hard to talk about. He promised that he would explain everything one day, but for the moment, he just wanted to enjoy being beside me. Who was I to argue?

I finally fell asleep sometime around two a.m. I tried to stay awake because, besides the purple bags under his eyes, Edward didn't look like he was even tired. In the end, I just couldn't; the events of the last week had finally caught up with me.

Edward, not surprisingly, starred in my dreams. His hands roamed over my body, and his lips danced across my skin. When I woke, Edward was beside me, and his eyes were watching me intently. A ghost of a smile played on his lips. I stretched my arms above my head languidly. His smile grew as his eyes raked across my body, leaving me in no doubt what he was thinking.

The sun beamed in through the window, sending a sharp angle of light across the bedroom floor. I realized that given the hour Charlie was already at the station which meant I had the house to myself for the day.

With my dreams still playing on my mind, I knew there was only one thing I wanted to do with my day.

I turned quickly and took Edward by surprise, pinning him beneath me and capturing his lips.

~ 0 ~

**A/N:- I just want to apologise for always being so fail with review replies. I love every single review I get, honestly they make my day, but I seem to lack whatever capacity it is that makes people very good at review replying. I think it's because I'd rather just get cracking on the next chapter when I get time to sit & live in the fic world. ****I do try & I will continue to try, but please know that even if I don't respond to your review I do read it & cherish it. **

**I'm sure many of you who have me on author alert would have seen, but I have posted the last chapter of Letters to You, so if you were waiting for the angst-fest to be complete before you started it...it's complete. **

**I have two fic recs for you. One is old & complete & one is a WIP. **

**The first one is Behind Closed Doors by Zephyrhawk. Anyone who follows me on twitter will know my love of all things David Tennant & in particular Doctor Who. BCD is an AU fic following on from the events in Journey's End (I won't say which events in case you haven't seen it). Truly this is one of very very few fan fics that I have read, re-read & loved again & again. **

**The second rec you've probably already seen rec'd a bit around the place, I did which is why I spent my day reading it today. There is a Light by BellaDonnaCullen. It's AH and follows the tale of Bella's life in a wonderful, angst-filled walk down memory-lane. It's definitely worth checking out. **

**Til next time! **


	7. Chapter 6: So Much

**Chapter 6: So Much**

_A/N: I own nothing. Characters are all Stephenie Meyers' creations really. I just enjoy playing with them. Love & kisses to my fic-wifeys (Gabbysway2 & CorrinaTFF) . _

_Thank you to Robrator for my beautiful banner __(http :/ / yfrog. com / h0znr8j)_

_Also, thank you to Ysar who surprised me with a banner for this story too (a very fitting EPOV banner me thinks) (http :/ / yfrog. com/kh92np_

_A huge thank you must go to __ATaletobeTold and Albymangroves for __the work they did to get this chapter into shape. _

_They fixed it, but I meddled and may have broken it again._

_Warning: This is a vampward story, and in case you didn't gather from the prologue, not a typical vegetarian vampward. Certain things are inevitable…._

~ 0 ~

**~ You can only bite off so much, so you gotta know what you want to do ~**

**~ Lesley Gore ~**

~ 0 ~

- EPOV -

When Alice told Bella to ask me about the Volvo, I wanted to go into the girls' restroom and murder her, consequences be damned. Instead, Bella pulled me out of my murderous rage with a simple touch.

What could have been an unfettered disaster—and a win for the Cullens—ended up working to my advantage when Bella invited me into her room. Her invitation was all I needed to get past the two nighttime sentinels near her house. Alice would know that Bella would be waiting for me and that her two thugs wouldn't be able to stop me.

Sure, they could kill me. From Bella's point view, I would simply disappear. However, Alice had told Bella of our connection, and I had no doubt Bella would ask questions that the Cullens wouldn't want to answer.

I knew Alice wouldn't be willing to take that risk, at least not yet. Not when I had no plans to claim my spoils within the walls of Bella's room. The final act was something I preferred to do away from prying eyes and nosey neighbors; it was easier to dispose of the body that way.

I dumped the Volvo in a lake and stole a fresh change of clothes.

I was almost back to Bella's house when I heard familiar thoughts invading my mind. I should have known Alice wasn't so willing to give up; in fact, she'd pulled out the big guns.

_Edward, please reconsider what you are doing. I understand that you feel it is what we naturally are, and I can't begrudge that feeling, but please understand what's at stake for us here._

I scoffed. "Are you trying to tell me your concern is purely for your family, Carlisle?"

I heard his concern and worry for the girl; a girl he wouldn't have known if not for her frequent emergency room visits.

"Are you trying to tell me you aren't even the slightest bit worried about the girl?" I mocked, slowing down as he came into view ahead of me.

_You know I would prefer you to come back to live with your family and give our way another try. _

"I know what you would prefer, but I don't really care."

_I know you don't mean that._ His eyes were gentle and pleading. When I looked for the judgment I'd become accustomed to seeing in Alice's eyes over the years, I couldn't see a single trace of it. He was honestly offering me compassion and understanding, nothing more and nothing less.

I hated it.

He was the one who'd made me what I was; he'd given me the cravings I had. Who was I to deny them?

_Just tell me honestly that you are happy doing this. Tell me there isn't some part of you screaming out against what you are doing. If not, then I'll leave you alone._

I wanted to tell him that there was no part of me that regretted the girls that I killed or how I'd done it. I could easily justify their deaths and regularly did. I had enjoyed each one thoroughly. For every single second that their precious fluids ran down my throat, I was in heaven. However, I couldn't deny the tiny piece of me that haunted my thoughts in the few quiet moments after the body had cooled in my arms; a tiny pang of conscience that I could slam down quickly with the promise of another feed. I wanted to deny it, but I knew Carlisle would see through my lie. He was one of a very few that always could.

"I don't have time for this," I muttered darkly, pushing past him and running toward Bella's house. I hated that he could get under my skin so easily.

Once I reached Bella's house, I tried to shake away the ill feeling that Carlisle had implanted in my mind. Lured by the promise of Bella waiting for me, I was able to turn my mind to what lay ahead for the night. I waited impatiently underneath her window until I was certain her father was asleep, and then, I scaled the wall.

I pushed open her window and climbed inside, giving a small thump as I landed to let her know I was there. She turned, startled, and gave a small yelp. She had a light sheen of sweat, which wasn't caused by the heat—it was a cool night. Combined with the hormones I could smell in her blood and her elevated heart rate told me she'd been waiting anxiously for me. I reveled in the power that I felt from that knowledge. It was almost as if the silence of her mind, and not hearing her mentally shouting compliments at me constantly, made the little insights that I got even more appealing.

She seemed almost insistent that I sleep in her bed. Somehow, the fact that I don't sleep never came up; instead, I spent the hours after she'd drifted off watching her writhe beneath the blankets as her dreams took over. I enjoyed the show immensely but longed to know for certain that I was the star of her nighttime imaginings.

I hid in the shadows briefly when her father came in to check on her early in the morning before heading to the station for the day. I smiled because I hadn't realized that there was a possibility that I would have the opportunity to be alone with her for an entire day; it was certainly a very appealing thought. I wondered briefly if I could convince her to go on an extended hike.

After her father had left the room, I shifted back to her side. I was surprised to see that her body seemed to naturally gravitate toward me. I tested the theory a few times, moving slowly from one side of the bed to the other. It wasn't immediate, but within a few minutes, her face would turn toward me, then slowly her hips would follow. It was certainly interesting and something I'd never experienced before. Other girls had dreamt about me, I knew that because I had seen their dreams, but they never seemed quite so _drawn_ to me. I had no idea why Bella was different, what it was about her unique physiology that set her apart from every other human on the planet. Most girls that I hunted, most humans in general in fact, were attracted to me physically, but sensed the danger I posed to them on some level and instinctively shied away from me. For whatever reason, Bella didn't.

I was so astounded by her magnetism toward me that I failed to notice the sun dawning brightly in the sky. When I noticed the dim light cascading in through the window, I cursed silently. I knew that the Cullens would have selected Forks for its cloud cover, and yet for the second day in a row, it was non-existent.

I knew I couldn't risk trying to lure Bella out into the sunshine and expose what I was. She might have been forgiving about petty crime, but I doubted she'd overlook the light refracting off my skin in multi-colored prisms quite as readily. I stood next to the window and watched the sun creep slowly higher in the sky, and considered the merits of leaving before she woke.

Before I could leave though, I heard the telltale signs of Bella waking—her breathing became less rhythmic, and her heart started to speed just a little. She mewed slightly, and I raced to lie beside her. She curled into me and had a few more moments of restfulness before she woke fully. I used the time to admire her body as she stretched and twisted.

Her sleepy brown eyes locked with mine, and then, before I could understand exactly what she wanted, she turned herself so that she was pressing against me. I realized she was trying to twist us around so that she was on top of me so I helped her readily. In the next instant, her fingers were locked around my wrists, and her lips were on mine. I barely had time to gain control of myself before I was surrounded by her intoxicating scent.

Her mouth explored mine hungrily, and her hands made their way from my wrists to my hair. Slowly, teasingly, one moved down to the hem of my shirt, and her fingers played gently with the material, pushing it away from my stomach. I was certain she could feel how different I was, but she didn't shy away when her fingertips brushed against the coolness of my smooth, hard skin.

Her fingers began to roam further under my shirt, teasing me and guiding the soft material of the shirt higher and higher up my chest. I moaned at the sensation of her fingertips exploring—searching my skin for something unknown. Despite how many girls I had been with, I'd never experienced what she was doing to me. I was always in control, and it was always about giving pleasure and receiving the benefits, never about feeling another's touch.

Bella's lips left mine but her fingers remained on me, warming my skin momentarily whenever they lingered. I closed my eyes and tilted my head, arching my back slightly to get closer to the pleasing warmth. She shifted slightly, and I froze, unsure what had caused her to move. Had my differences finally registered with her?

My question was answered just moments later when her fingertips were replaced by warm, wet kisses. I had never before felt anything so… so… I couldn't even think of a way to describe it. I was quickly feeling out of my depth. I had never before shared such intimacy with someone, and I wasn't entirely sure I was comfortable with it. I was much more used to fucking a girl against a tree or the wall of an abandoned warehouse, not having her trail tender kisses across my chest on her own bed.

I wanted to stop her, but my body had a mind of its own, and my cock had definitely noticed the attention my stomach and chest were getting and was standing firmly at attention. My body was making it abundantly clear that I was not to stop under any circumstance.

I realized I just needed to claim back control over the exchange. I opened my eyes and watched as she planted a kiss just above the waistband of my jeans. The sight of it made me arch my hips toward her involuntarily. She took that as permission to continue, and her fingers began working the button on my jeans.

"Fuck, Bella," I hissed. "I don't think that's such a good idea."

"Why not?" she asked quietly. I saw a hint of rejection glisten in her eyes, and I wanted to reassure her.

"We only just…fuck," her fingers slipped under my waistband, "started dating and, goddamn," she popped the button of my jeans, "I want you to be sure, because if we go too far, there is no going back."

I needed to wrestle back control.

I gently slipped my fingers into Bella's hair and guided her back up my body. Once she was lying chest to chest against me, I kissed her gently. As soon as her eyes fluttered closed, I deepened the kiss and used the moment of distraction to flip us quickly.

She realized the advantage of our new positions quickly, sliding her hands up the length of my back until her fingers hooked into my t-shirt. She pulled it higher until my shoulders were uncovered. I broke the kiss reluctantly as she tugged at the material to remove it completely.

I wrapped my arms around her, pinning her tightly to the bed. I rested my chest against hers, feeling her nipples firm in response to either the chill of my skin or as a natural reaction to the hormones coursing through her.

I longed to taste the taut skin of her breasts, but I wasn't sure how she would react. She'd certainly seemed keen enough moments earlier. I pushed my hips forward, grinding my erection against her as softly as I could, and she mewed lightly before letting her legs fall further apart so I could push myself into her..

As I ground against her again, she wrapped her arms and legs around me. I buried my face into her neck, breathing deeply and knowing that our time had come. The time wasn't perfect, the place wasn't perfect, but I couldn't resist her anymore.

Having decided my course, and sensing no objection from Bella, I made short work of the night shirt she had on, dragging it up over her head. I took a moment to revel in the sight of her bare-chested before me.

I palmed one of her perfect breasts, feeling her nipple harden further to my cool touch. I shifted slightly, moving to surround the little pink bud with my lips.

She hissed and bucked against me the moment my tongue slid across her skin. I pinned her again, locking my hips into place so that she could use the prominent protrusion in my jeans to create friction. She rubbed her heat against me, and I twisted my hand into the sheet, resisting the urge to push my fingers into her sweet pussy. I'd been longing to do it since I'd brushed my fingertips against it lightly on the way to prom. I knew she wasn't ready for that; not yet.

She scrapped her fingers through my hair and pulled my face further into her skin. She didn't know the danger of what she was doing, but I was quickly becoming more and more unable to fight the urge to bite her.

"Edward, please," she begged.

I could only guess what she was asking for, and I knew I had guessed correctly when she let my hair go and searched for the zipper on my jeans. This time I didn't stop her. She quickly pushed the last of the barriers on my body away. It was still much quicker than I would have liked, but she was unlike any of the other girls. She was more like Evelyn than any of the others; she seemed so sure of herself and her sexuality. I had no idea where she had kept her quiet confidence hidden, but I was more than aroused by it. The wilting flower had somehow turned into the smoldering temptress.

Then, in a flash, the switch had flicked again. She blushed deeply as her eyes trailed across my body, taking in every part of me. I smirked wickedly at her. I knew what the sight of my hard body did to women, and even though I couldn't read her mind, I could tell by the look in her eyes that it was doing exactly the same thing to Bella.

I twisted my fingers into the waistband of Bella's pajama bottoms and panties.

"Are you sure?" I asked—as if I would be able to stop if she wasn't.

She bit her lip and nodded. Her blush deepened as I slid the material slowly down, and my gaze fell to the perfect spot between her legs. I longed to bury myself deeply into her immediately; instead, I decided to prolong the sensation for her.

I licked the insole of her foot. She squirmed and giggled.

I kissed the inside of her knee and she moaned softly.

I kissed her upper thigh, and she bucked her hips, trying to get back the friction that I'd removed.

I twisted and planted a slow, open-mouthed kiss against her clit. She cursed lightly and bucked once again. I swirled my tongue around once, and she cried out.

I planted one hand on each side of her body and trailed my tongue from her clit up toward her belly button. She wriggled deliciously beneath me.

I dropped down onto one elbow as I made my way a little further up her body, planting my lips against the side of her breast.

I shifted a little higher, rising to push my nose into the base of her neck. My lips pulled back, and my teeth brushed lightly against her throat. I moaned deeply as the promise of her taste tempted my tongue and throat.

"Oh, Edward. Oh, God," Bella panted roughly.

I knew that what I was going to do next was going to hurt her a little, but I could tell by her rough breaths and open legs that she was more than ready. I kissed her lips softly, and she wrapped herself around me. She tensed a little as I lined myself up at her entrance. I knew she was bracing herself for what was to come.

"Look at me, Bella," I murmured.

Her eyes fixed onto mine, and she relaxed momentarily. I took quick advantage of her distraction, pushing myself into her and instantly hearing the tiny snap. She'd offered me her virginity, and I'd taken it eagerly. I closed my eyes as I relished in the sensation of her warm wetness surrounding me. I was able to focus my attention completely on that one spot of my body that connected with her so perfectly. An involuntarily grunt of satisfaction slipped from my lips.

She tensed around me, no doubt as the pain of that small rip radiated throughout her body. I opened my eyes so that I could focus on her needs again.

"It's okay, Bella," I whispered against her cheek as I stroked her hair softly. I held myself completely still in order to make it easier for her. I could smell the tiny droplets of blood that seeped from the tear, which were making it so hard to stay focused, but I had to.

She nodded and shifted her hips a little, stretching herself around me. She eventually began to move more rhythmically, and her breathing picked up, so I knew she was past the worst of it. I followed the instructions her body was giving me, listening and adjusting to ensure she experienced the most profound enjoyment I could offer her; it was the least I could do for her willing sacrifice.

I slid myself almost all the way out of her little by little before pushing back into her at the same agonizingly slow pace. I fisted the sheets again, willing my hands to stay stationery and my body to retain its leisurely pace. It would have been easy to race toward the finish, but I knew there wasn't much longer left anyway, and I wanted to prolong every second.

Her mouth sought mine out, and I eagerly responded, relishing in the feel of her wet tongue gliding along my bottom lip. Her hands explored eagerly, tracing imaginary lines around my chest and back. I closed my eyes as I lost myself to the sensation of her body clenching around me. This was what it was about for me, the warmth that only humans could give, the smell of her hormones racing into her blood and the smells that hinted at the delicacy hidden just beneath her skin.

Almost too quickly, Bella started to moan loudly each time I pushed into her and cry out each time I withdrew. It was only a matter of minutes before her world would shatter around her, and the fun would really begin for me.

I shifted my body weight so that it was resting almost entirely on Bella's hips, positioning my hands on either side of her face. I stared intently down into her eyes, and she focused her entire attention on me. She reached one hand up tenderly and caressed the side of my face. I rested my cheek against her warm palm, taking a moment to enjoy the sensation of moving against her skin to skin.

All too soon, it was over. Bella gave one last throaty groan and arched her back. Her body shuddered involuntarily as I thrust against her again. I was almost saddened that our time was over, but not enough that I was willing to stop.

The thudding pulse of the skin on her exposed throat drew my attention as I moved faster within her still-throbbing body. I rested all of my weight on one arm and pulled her fingers free of my hair with the other hand. I pressed her hand against my cheek, bringing her wrist in line with my nose. I breathed deeply and felt myself reaching closer to the peak.

Years ago, when I'd first started on this path, I went straight for the jugular. That vein still drew my attention, it was easy access to my meal; however, I had learned over the years that the perfect drop flowed far too fast when taken from the neck. It poured so rapidly down my throat I barely had time to savor the taste.

Instead, I had discovered that the ulnar artery in the wrist was perfect for my needs. It supplied clean, unpolluted, highly oxygenated blood straight from the heart at the perfect flow rate; fast enough to avoid unpleasantries—like prolonged agony—but slow enough that I could enjoy every single precious drop.

I tilted my head slightly, bringing my lips to rest on Bella's wrist. I closed my eyes and whispered a near-silent thank you against her skin. I opened my mouth and allowed my teeth to do their job. I felt the slight pop as the artery was pierced, and then I felt perfection.

It started as a tiny trickle, running across my tongue and dripping slowly down the back of my throat. Each individual droplet soothed the fire in me only momentarily before being absorbed and broken down by the venom in my mouth. I pressed my lips tightly around the open wound in front of me and drew deeply of the sweet liquid. As my mouth filled with the crimson heaven, I came hard within her, tumbling over the edge and falling into oblivion, surrendering to complete and total satisfaction.

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**A/N:- As always, let me know what you think. And thank you again to everyone who helps me, whether it's by keeping me sane on twitter, helping me in a WC, giving me feedback, pimping, reccing, or even reviewing. Thanks!**


	8. Chapter 7: Lick

**Chapter 7: Lick**

_A/N: I own nothing. Characters are all Stephenie Meyers' creations really. I just enjoy playing with them. Love & kisses to my fic-wifeys (Gabbysway2 & CorrinaTFF) . _

_Thank you to Robrator for my beautiful banner __(http :/ / yfrog. com / h0znr8j)_

_Also, thank you to Ysar who surprised me with a banner for this story too (a very fitting EPOV banner me thinks) (http :/ / yfrog. com/kh92np_

_A huge thank you must go to __ATaletobeTold and Albymangroves for __the work they did to get this chapter into shape. _

_They fixed it, but I meddled and may have broken it again._

_WARNING: There are elements of this chapter which are definitely not going to be easy for people to read. Please do not read on if you are easily upset by violence or kidnapping. _

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**~ If it can lick, it can bite ~**

**~ French proverb ~**

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- BPOV -

Sweet heaven. No other words could adequately describe the feelings that washed over me as Edward entered me so lovingly and took us to the next level in our relationship. Honestly, I'd never thought I'd be so willing to give my virginity to someone after knowing them for such a short period of time, but I hadn't expected to meet someone like Edward either. He was just so unlike anyone else I'd ever met. Even before we'd kissed, I had imagined how he would feel as he touched me. Granted, I had never anticipated his skin being so smooth or cold, but those things didn't change the effect he had on me.

The sensation of his touch against my skin was too warm to be removed by the coolness of his fingers. Whenever his lips would brush against a new part of my body, a flood of sensation would rush through me. A small part of me questioned how he could still be so cold after the night we spent together in my bed, but I was able to overlook it relatively easily. I was beginning to suspect there was something abnormal about him, but I wasn't ready to question exactly what that might be.

Instead, I wanted to convey to him the overwhelming feelings that were building in me. I just didn't know how to voice the words. I _knew_ the words; I just couldn't _say _them. I was terrified that voicing them might end whatever spell Edward was under and he might run. I couldn't understand what held him to me, why he was so interested in _me._ I only knew that he held my entire being in the palm of his hand and I didn't even know if he was aware of that fact.

I was so deeply in love with him that I thought my heart might shatter from the sheer weight of my emotion. I felt like I was drowning in the depths of something new and the only way I could survive was to surrender myself to Edward, breathing him in instead of oxygen, and holding onto him tightly to keep myself afloat.

Edward shifted against me in such a wonderful way, almost as if he was made specifically for me. His perfectly timed thrusts pushed me closer and closer to the edge. I wondered if he could possible feel as wonderful as I did; if the heat of our union was running through his veins like it was racing through mine.

His body rocked against mine, hitting one precise spot over and over, leaving me gasping for air as my stomach tightened and a burn, completely unlike anything I'd ever experienced before took hold of my body. I felt like every one of my insides was being simultaneously coiled and unwound until the tension was so great, my body felt like it sprung apart as he moved within me, snapping the tiny threads that held me to reality. I had feelings course through me that I had never believed possible. Every fiber of my being seemed to be attuned to Edward and the way he made my body sing.

I used his body, pinning me tightly against the bed, as an anchor into the world as my mind floated momentarily through a bliss-induced haze. I clutched at his hair, holding myself to him as my body grew limp after riding wave after wave of pleasure. He clutched my hand tightly, pulling it from his hair and holding it against his cheek before twisting his head to press his lips lightly against my wrist.

The world shattered around me again, only this time it wasn't bliss that overtook me; it was pain—one swift, agonizing tear on my arm, followed by a slow, drawing sensation. Edward's cock twitched inside me violently as he came hard. I couldn't think about what was happening; all I could think about was the pain.

I tried to pull my arm away, but Edward held it tightly, firmly pressing his lips against my wrist. I could feel his tongue moving, swirling fluid over my skin. A salty, metallic smell filled the air and I instantly felt faint. I knew what the fluid was, the smell was unmistakable, but it didn't make sense under the circumstances. Neither did the scorching agony.

I was still joined with Edward so intimately, but his focus was no longer on his pleasurable movement. Instead, he was focused entirely on my arm. His eyes were shut but a look of peaceful ecstasy was printed clearly on his features.

"E…Edward?" I whimpered, pulling lightly on my arm again.

So many things happened all at once.

He opened his eyes and I realized that his irises were no longer their usual coal black; instead, they were a deep burgundy.

The sun from the window angled in a little further, and almost as if the beams of light were reaching out for Edward as eagerly as I had earlier, they stretched the last of the distance and touched his exposed back. His skin seemed to catch alight, sending bright prisms of light bouncing in all directions around my room. It was almost dazzling to watch the sun reflect and shift in accordance with the tiniest movements he made; I was certain that under other circumstances I would have been mesmerized by it.

My heart thumped loudly as my instincts screamed at me to try to escape. I had no idea what Edward was, but for the first time since I met him, I truly realized he was dangerous. I wanted to push him off but he was a solid, dead weight pinning me down and stilling my movements. I knew there was no possibility of escaping.. I started to scream out, but his free hand clamped down tightly on my mouth almost instantly. His lips never left my wrist, and no matter how much I pulled at my arm, he was unwilling to relinquish his hold.

"Please, Edward," I sobbed uselessly against his cold, hard palm. The smooth coolness that had once fascinated me now repulsed me. I wanted to break free of his icy touch, but he was strong, much too strong.

I felt my consciousness slipping away slowly, receding further away with each wave of nausea that stuck me like a tide ebbing away from the beach. His eyes searched mine for something unknown even as his hand pressed further against my mouth, ensuring that not even the tiniest noise could escape. His palm pressed my tender lips tightly against my teeth, the pressure never ending, not until the soft skin tore and a trickle of blood ran into my mouth. Then the pressure lightened and I saw something akin to sorrow deep in his now burgundy irises and yet his hold on my arm and the drawing sensation I felt continued unabated.

The red in his eyes seemed to glow more brightly the weaker I felt. Finally, it was all too much. I closed my eyes and let the peace and silence take me. Only there wasn't peace; there was a raging fire, and there wasn't silence; there was an angry voice.

I didn't even pretend to understand what was happening. All I knew was my body was being jostled and my wrist burned terribly. Silent sobs ripped violently through my body as tears tracked down my cheeks completely unchecked. A hundred questions swirled through my mind, running on repeat again and again—why, how, what, and why me—but I couldn't concentrate on any one thought long enough to consider it properly. I just wanted to get away from the pain. I wanted to tear out of the room and not look back. I wanted to return to the blissful state I'd inhibited moments before the pain.

My arm was on fire, burning and searing at the spot where Edward's mouth had been. I felt something being wrapped around it tightly, staunching the flow of the blood, the smell of which was making me feel so woozy.

Material scratched against me as I was redressed; I tried to fight off the hands as they pulled articles of clothing on me, but they were moving too fast for me to concentrate on, or maybe my mind was just moving too slowly. When I tried to open my eyes to see, my vision was clouded and my eyelids fought their way closed again almost instantly.

The blankets and sheets that I was tangled in after what had happened between Edward and I were being tossed around me roughly. I got the impression that I was being wrapped in the bedding like a macabre burrito.

I heard Edward's voice softly murmuring. At first, I thought he was talking to me, but then I strained to hear the words and realized he was talking to himself.

"I really didn't need _this_."

I heard the drawers of my old desk being rattled and then something that sounded like my book bag being upended. I tried again in vain to look, but it was a losing battle trying to keep my eyes open. My mind fogged over again as the blaze at my wrist began to twist and lick its way up my arm. It was almost as if something foreign had entered into me and was eating me alive, consuming me from the inside out.

I screamed out loudly in response to the agony. Edward was at my side almost instantly.

He stroked my hair softly. "Don't worry, sweet Bella. It will all be over soon, and there won't be any more pain for you. I just need to take you somewhere else for now."

His words were clearly designed to comfort me, but they had the opposite effect. It was clear that he wasn't surprised by my screaming. He must have known what was happening to me. I wanted to ask him, but when I opened my mouth, all that came out was an agonized shriek. I registered vaguely that my body shouldn't have been able to make that sort of noise.

"I'm sorry for what I need to do now, Bella, but I can't have you making any noise," he whispered softly, his tone surprisingly sincere, before opening my mouth and pushing in a wad of material. My mouth felt dry and I gagged as the cotton hit the back of my throat. I cried out as loudly as I could, but it came out as a muffled, chesty noise.

Tears streamed down my cheeks in two tracks of wetness. I was terrified of what Edward was doing around me, but so much more than that was the fear of the pain stretching sickeningly along my arm, like hundreds of tiny insects biting and stinging as they moved. My tears dripped unendingly against my hair and into my ears, creating dampness beneath me and sticking long strands to my face. I tried to shake it off, but I was so constricted that I couldn't even move my head very far.

"I'm sorry, Bella," Edward murmured again, brushing the wet hair off my face. "I shouldn't have done this, not here. I'll stop the pain very soon though, I promise."

I wanted to concentrate on what was going on around me, but the agony that was searing its way through the veins in my arm made it impossible to think about anything else. One question fought its way to the surface. _How would he stop the pain?_

The horror behind the thought receded back into my mind quickly; almost too quickly. The potential threat of what he might do later was replaced by the red haze caused by the pain radiating from the gash in my wrist.

"Done," Edward declared finally and then I was lifted, blankets and all, onto his shoulder. He carried me like a ragdoll as he leapt from my bedroom window, landing on the ground below gently and easily. He'd barely jostled me, and yet the pain in my arm intensified again, now reaching as high as my shoulder.

I sobbed against him, begging him in my mind to let me go, trying to twist my tongue free of the gag filling my mouth. I wanted to go back to the boring life I'd led before; the one where I never had to endure this excruciating torture. I tried to concentrate on something apart from the agony. I tried to consider the possibilities of where he might be taking me, but my mind shied away from the most likely lethal implications of him moving me.

Still tightly wrapped up in the blankets, I was placed gently onto the seat of a vehicle; the rough, cracked leather was reminiscent of my own truck. Less than a second later, far too quickly for him to have rounded the car, Edward was in the driver's seat. I jumped slightly as the roar of my truck broke the silence that had settled in on me. I thought I might have been falling in and out of consciousness, but the sting of my arm indicated otherwise. It didn't seem to abate even momentarily.

He pulled me gently onto his lap and stroked my hair lightly. Considering everything that was happening, I should have shied away from Edward's touch. I should have flinched and screamed out, terrified by the knowledge of what he had done and the uncertainty of what he was going to do next, but for some reason I couldn't. His fingers traced tiny circles over my cheek and I found his rhythmic caress almost soothing. Between his light ministrations and the smell of his cologne, my tears eventually abated. I knew I should have been terrified, but reason had long left me and it felt like my sanity had skipped along after it.

Edward drove for what felt like at least an hour but could have been much less because the pain shooting through me made every single second drag on for an eternity. Eventually, he stopped the truck and climbed out. Almost instantly, he was at my door, opening it up and pulling me out. He unwrapped me gently from the blankets and laid me onto some soft grass. He didn't remove the gag though. The material had long absorbed the last of the moisture in my mouth and it scratched roughly at the back of my throat, leaving me with the gagging silently again and again. The cotton was twisted around my tongue and whenever I tried to force the material free, it tangled its way deeper into my mouth, choking me and leaving me desperate to be free of the gag.

I was finally able open my tear soaked eyes and turned my head to watch Edward. If it wasn't for my arm, I would have thought I was dreaming. Billions of tiny stars danced over his skin as he undressed and began pushing my truck toward a huge lake in front of him. Despite my truck being a rusty behemoth, it seemed almost easy for Edward to push it; he could have been pushing a shopping cart. He pushed it until it hit the water edge, and just when I thought he might stop, he gave an almighty shove, sending the vehicle at least a quarter-mile into the water.

I watched as Edward dived into the water beside the car. He didn't resurface for what felt like eternity. At first, I felt relief rush through my body. He had surely drowned; no one could hold their breath for so long. Even as part of me celebrated the fact I might be free of my captor, I began to panic. I was alone; no one else even knew where I was. The pain radiating from my wound was so great I wasn't sure my body would obey me long enough to reach help. I worried that I would be left alone by the lake. I was in need of medical attention, and I still had material gagging me and keeping me almost silent, so I couldn't even cry out for help. Worse still, the pain that had so far been confined to my arm licked at my neck, teasing me with the agony that felt like it would soon reach my brain. I somehow knew that once it was in my head, I would no longer be able to think clearly—I could barely think as it was.

I waited for Edward long after it would have been humanly possible for him to still be alive. Long after logic and reason had left me, and the stinging, burning sensation had hit the base of my spine and was radiating across my chest. Finally, I could hold back no longer and screamed loudly with tears once again streaming down my skin. I screamed and shouted, no longer caring that no sound could be heard. I just needed to scream, or I would go crazy.

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I was lifted into someone's arms. I could no longer see or think, I could barely even feel. Nothing existed for me aside from the pain that had overtaken my whole body. It felt like knives were cutting me from the inside out. It felt like acid was burning me from within. It was like nothing I had ever experienced before, and I knew that my life was ending.

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Eventually, I felt something firm but springy under me, and it registered I was no longer being held; instead, I was lying down on something. The hand that had been wounded—the one part that scorched hotter than any other part of my body—was gently unwrapped.

"Fuck."

Through the searing agony, I heard a voice. The one low utterance was quickly followed by a stream of cursing. Then, a loud cracking sound rent the air. Finally, I felt fingers stroking the tears that were still running down my cheek.

"I'm going to take this out now, Bella."

The material gag was slowly removed from my mouth and my screams were released into the air.

"It wasn't supposed to be like this."

Between the screams that threatened to tear the lining from my throat, I heard words. In an attempt to try to take my mind off my pain—as if that was even possible—I listened to the now almost constant murmuring nearby me.

Sometimes, it was soft and sorrowful. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean for it to come to this."

Then, it would grow angry. "How could you let this happen? The situation was supposed to be under control. _Easy _even. The easiest and best you've ever had."

Sometimes, I felt gentle hands caressing my face and wiping away my tears.

"It happened too quickly. I didn't expect it to be so sudden."

I stopped screaming and began to beg for death, for anything to stop the pain.

"I'm sorry," the voice said. "It's too late."

I let go of hope and embraced the desperation I felt.

And then, I started screaming again.

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**A/N:- You know what's really frustrating? Writing a lovely, long A/N and then having FFn not save it for some reason or another. **

**The crux of it was:**

**Thank you for reading/reviewing/reccing/following on twitter etc-you're all totally awesome and that's what makes this writing caper so much fun. **

**I suck at review replies. I can't promise to improve. I'll try, but I have this tendancy to rush to the next chapter/story/contest etc rather than sitting and writing back. **

**I'm back from a temporary hiatus. This fic should go back to roughly bi-weekly update schedule. **


	9. Chapter 8: Conscience

**Chapter 8: Conscience**

_A/N: I own nothing. Characters are all Stephenie Meyers' creations really. I just enjoy playing with them. Love & kisses to my fic-wifeys (Gabbysway2 & CorrinaTFF) . _

_Thank you to Robrator for my beautiful banner __(http :/ / yfrog. com / h0znr8j)_

_Also, thank you to Ysar who surprised me with a banner for this story too (a very fitting EPOV banner me thinks) (http :/ / yfrog. com/kh92np_

_A huge thank you must go to __ATaletobeTold and Albymangroves for __the work they did to get this chapter into shape. _

_They fixed it, but I meddled and may have broken it again._

_WARNING: There are elements of this chapter which are definitely not going to be easy for people to read. _

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**~ Conscience is the dog that can't bite, but never stops barking ~ **

**~ Proverb ~**

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Sweet heaven—that was the feeling that rushed through me as I drank from Bella. No blood, ever, had even come close to the taste of hers. I had imagined and dreamed of what it would be like, but my wildest fantasy didn't even come close to reality.

I felt a very light tugging and realized Bella was trying to pull her arm away. I was able to ignore it easily enough; I wasn't willing to relinquish my hold on her body yet. I was loath to let her go until she was still beneath me, and I was unable to draw another drop from her.

"E…Edward?"

The quiet question in her voice distracted me momentarily. I opened my eyes and met her gaze.

I felt the warm rays of the sun hit my back and watched as her eyes widened in fear. I clamped my free hand over her mouth, trying to avoid her screaming. I'd never experienced this before; usually I had sufficient time to finish before awareness seeped back into my victims. I panicked but remained unwilling to let go of her arm. I pressed my hand tightly to her mouth, suppressing all sounds. It wasn't until I felt the skin beneath my palm break against her teeth and smelled the fresh droplets of blood that filled her mouth that I realized how roughly I had treated her. I knew she was in the final stages of her life, but I didn't want to cause her undue agony.

I felt Bella's heart fading and watched as she paled. I knew she didn't have much time left, and so I drew deeper, pushing myself to end her agony as quickly as I could. However, the distraction she'd created wouldn't cease. Instead, it allowed another thought to filter into my mind—more specifically, another person's thoughts, those of a young boy coming to visit Bella. I had no idea who he was, just that he was only a few miles away. I had minutes at the most to get out of Bella's room.

Self-preservation—the only thing that could possibly override my blood-lust—overtook me. The decision to claim Bella in her own room had left me in a precarious situation. I made a quick mental list of the things I needed to do to clean it up. I quickly pulled on my clothes and gathered up some for Bella as well, throwing them roughly beside her on the bed.

My next step was to ensure I didn't spill a single drop of Bella's blood. I was planning on finishing my banquet once we were safely alone. I tore a strip from her sheet and secured it around the wound on her wrist, attempting to stop the flow. I dressed her quickly before trying to work out the best way to go forward. I couldn't risk the detection of blood or venom on her sheets or it might raise questions about her disappearance. I pulled the blankets roughly from the bed and wrapped them around Bella, giving me one easy package to take with me when I left.

There was almost no time left to arrange much more, so I continued moving as quickly as I could. I had staged enough runaways over the years to know what I needed to do. I needed to write a note to her family. I needed to know what her handwriting looked like. I upended her book-bag and flicked quickly through her homework. I found a spare piece of paper, one of her pens and scribbled down a quick note.

_Dad, _

_I'm sorry. I just can't stand the constant rain. _

_Bella _

In my experience, the shorter and vaguer the note, the better for throwing suspicion. If I went into more detail, I risked raising doubts about the authenticity of the letter. I repacked her school bag and threw it into the closet before shoving a pile of clothes haphazardly into a duffle bag that I found under the bed. I raced into the bathroom and grabbed her towel, toothbrush and any other toiletries I could find.

I was distracted from my whirl of activity by Bella's shrill scream. I ran to her instantly and listened intently to the voices around me to see if they registered the noise. Thankfully, no one had noticed it, or at least, they weren't dwelling on it if they had.

I tried to offer Bella what words of comfort I could, but I felt woefully inadequate. I'd never had to do it before; in all of my previous conquests, I'd never once been interrupted. I knew it was because I'd been smart in the past, but so stupid this time. I cursed myself silently for letting my desire for Bella's body and blood override my good sense. I knew I should have waited for a better time, a better place.

Bella shrieked again, an inhuman cry that I was sure would gain the attention of the neighbors if it continued. I apologized to her before pushing material into her mouth to act as a gag. I hated having to do it, but I was left with little choice.

I continued to move things around Bella's room, staging it to look as though she had genuinely run away. I thought about booting up the computer and running a search for plane tickets, but taking one look at the old machine, I knew it would take longer than I had. Instead, I scribbled a few notes with addresses and phone numbers onto the top sheet of a pad before ripping off the page and pushing it into my pocket. If Bella's disappearance was investigated, hopefully that would give them a few false leads—and me a greater head start.

Finally, I was finished. I picked Bella up as gently as I could, placing her over my shoulder and jumping from her window. I fished the keys to her truck out of my pocket and opened the passenger door.

I placed Bella in, trying hard not to jostle her too much, before racing around to the driver's side. I knew I was risking exposure, every inch of my uncovered skin was glittering in the bright sun, but I hoped my speed would make up for it. I kept a close watch of the minds around me, ready to react if anyone grew suspicious.

I put Bella's truck into gear and drove off just seconds before the boy turned into her street. He noticed that she was driving away, but I noted with satisfaction that he didn't feel that he had a right to follow her. He was only coming down to check on her because her father had called in a favor from his father.

I already knew my destination before I'd left Bella's room. My first stop would be to dump the car, and I figured the Volvo at the bottom of Lake Crescent could use a companion. I drove straight there, not caring about covering my tracks. The only ones who might already know of Bella's disappearance would no longer try to stop me. I knew the Cullens would allow me to cover my tracks, because if they didn't, they risked unmasking their own identities.

I willed the old truck to go as fast as it could, wishing it had just a little more speed. In just over half an hour, I arrived where I wanted to. I found the quietest spot—there were no human minds nearby—and stopped the car. I placed Bella on the ground beside the lake and unwrapped the blankets from her body. I needed everything to disappear with her car, except her rucksack, I wanted to hold onto that for just a while longer. I stuffed the blankets underneath the seat so that they wouldn't come loose and raise suspicions.

Knowing that I couldn't get my clothes wet—they were all I had until I could procure some more—I stripped off and then began to push the car toward the lake. It didn't take long to get the front wheels into the water.

I dove beneath the surface to pull the car further into the lake. I needed to take advantage of the full depth, putting the vehicle in a place where it would lie undiscovered for years. I pushed the metal of the truck in on itself, making it look unrecognizable. I swam a short distance away and surveyed my handiwork. To my perfect eyesight, it looked like a misshapen truck, but to a human, it could have easily passed for a rock. It was far enough into the lake that no one would suspect it was a vehicle. I knew I was being pedantic, but after the terrible mistake I'd already made, I needed careful now.

I swam back to the shore and climbed out, quickly drying myself off and redressing. I swept Bella's rucksack onto my shoulder before kneeling down next to her. I could smell the blood still pumping through her veins and the promise of more of her sweet delight compelled me to sweep her gently into my arms and run toward one of the places I had originally planned to take her for our final tryst.

It was a tiny place I had found once I knew Bella was my next _one_. Deep in the forest, a reasonably short distance north of Lake Crescent, a series of trees had been felled but not moved many years ago. The trunks crossed over one another to form a secret little den. The space inside the twisted trees was lit from above while the sun was high in the sky, but most of the day, it was shadowy and romantic, almost like something out of a fantasy novel. The ground within was not covered by grass, but instead a soft moss grew over the wood and bracken. The best part was that it was so deep into the forest that it was unlikely another person would happen by, but if they did, the ancient trunks gave more than enough cover from prying eyes.

I placed Bella gently onto the ground, trying to jostle her as little as possible. The adrenaline running through her veins was already making her scent smell a little different compared to the sweetness of the endorphins earlier. It actually smelled just a little less appealing, but not so much that I was unwilling to finish the rest.

I gently lifted Bella's punctured arm and began unwinding the hasty bandage. My unbeating heart plummeted to my stomach when the bandage came away almost clean. I sat motionless for a moment while the reality of what I was seeing hit me—where there should have been a wound still pumping fresh blood there was a freshly healed scar. Already the tattered edges of her skin had woven themselves back together. The skin of her wrist was cold, unnaturally so. The color was wrong too; it was paler than the rest of her arm, and seemed to glitter ever so slightly in the pale light. I raised her arm to my nose and breathed in. I realized that it wasn't adrenaline changing the scent of her blood—it was venom.

I swore. Then I swore again, repeatedly, before taking my frustration out of one of the long settled logs, kicking it with all of my might and sending it crashing further down the incline. It splintered against the trunk of another ancient tree, which split up the middle from the force.

It shouldn't have happened so quickly. I recalled the only transformation I had witnessed: Esme's. It had taken at least a day and a half before the venom had begun to heal the wounds on her body. I tried to think of reasons why it would be different for Bella, and my mind kept coming back to the same conclusion.

Esme was near the very brink of death; her heart was hardly beating at all when Carlisle had found her. She was in the morgue because she had been declared legally dead. Bella, on the other hand, was the picture of health; her heart was beating strong and fast, especially so because of the events that happened before and after I'd bitten her.

I looked back toward Bella and watched as tears slid down her cheeks. I knew I had to remove the gag that I had placed in her mouth earlier. The sight of it made me feel physically ill—I hadn't enjoyed having to do it—and there was no one around that could hear her screams here. I wondered whether I would be able to get some sense out of her, and give her peace before ending her life.

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It had been six hours since I removed the gag. Six hours of relentless, spine-chilling screaming. I could almost hear the lining of Bella's throat wearing away with each fresh cry. Each time I thought the horror might have been over, and that maybe her screams would end, she merely drew a fresh breath and the shrieking would start all over again.

I knew I could have silenced it. It would have been so easy, and there were so many ways I could have done it. I had considered my options; anything to end the pain she was suffering. I could have delivered a crushing blow to her head or I could have torn her heart from her chest; anything which would stop her heart pumping the venom around her body and kill her instantly. Somehow though, I just couldn't. It just seemed far too…cold blooded. It wasn't the gentle fading of her life after experiencing the ultimate pleasure that I had planned.

I knew there were now two paths I could tread; either allow the change to continue and deal with the immortal fallout later, or end it now, along with her life.

I didn't want her to suffer any more than she already had. I knew the kindest, most compassionate thing I could do was to put her out of her misery, but I simply wasn't able to. I couldn't deliver that final blow.

Instead, I knelt before her, vacillating between what I should do and what I absolutely couldn't do.

Sometimes, I offered her words of comfort in an attempt to quiet the gut-churning howls coming from her. Not that my words did anything, it was like trying to calm a thunderstorm by reasoning with the clouds. Other times, I would curse my own stupidity for allowing such a horrific mistake to happen.

I wasn't a complete idiot; I knew what was happening to her. I knew her body was being recreated cell by cell into something new, something much stronger and permanent. Her genetic code was being wiped clean and rewritten in venom. The sweet smell of her blood had already been invaded by the insidious scent of my kind, making her much less appealing to my thirst.

The sun was beginning to sink into the horizon, and still I sat with Bella, unable to follow through on the decision to kill her.

"Please, please, just kill me!" she begged in a strangled cry, almost as if the debate raging in my mind was on display for her to see.

"I'm sorry, Bella," I murmured. It was an apology, but I wasn't sure what it was for.

It wasn't for drinking her blood. Even with the chain of events that had occurred since taking her, I couldn't regret _that_. I could feel the strength granted by her blood rippling throughout my body, cell after cell drawing in that delicious substance and using it as a fuel. The memory of her flavor haunted me even as her shrill cries filled the air. Her taste had been even more exquisite than her scent had hinted. Hers was, without a doubt, the finest I'd ever tasted. Even now, I longed for just one more drop.

I was addicted and all it had taken was one sip. At that moment, I knew there would not be another like her for many years, if ever. I opened my eyes again as that melancholy thought settled over me.

So what _was_ I apologizing for? Not for taking her body that she had so willingly offered me, because I couldn't regret a thing about the way her warm arms had wrapped around me. Or the way she had opened up for me. Or her moist breath whispering against my skin. I grew hard thinking about the sounds she'd made and the scent of her arousal.

It certainly wasn't an apology for crashing into her world. With her scent, she would have attracted another nomad at some point, and they would have taken her faster and with less concern for her welfare during the process.

The only conclusion I could come to was that I was sorry for not being able to grant her final wish. I couldn't kill her, and I couldn't stop what was happening.

"It's too late," I murmured.

"You don't know the half of it!"

I turned around suddenly when Alice thought and spoke the words simultaneously. For once, someone had been able to sneak up on me. I had been lost in my own wandering thoughts, and Bella's screams practically drowned out every other sound. I didn't like the feeling of being surprised, and I instantly crouched over Bella in a protective stance as Carlisle and Jasper joined Alice.

_Are they here to kill her?_ I wondered. My eyes flicked down to Bella's writhing body as another scream issued from her before snapping back up to challenge the Cullens. My lips drew back into a snarl.

If they wanted to do anything to her, they would have to come through me.

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**A/N:- *Waves to those still with me* **

**Hands up if you like Shakespeare? Well, I have an awesome fic rec for you if you do. Edwardsisobel is in the midst of a drabble-fic based loosely on Romeo & Juliet. She is sticking to exactly 100 word drabbles & it's amazing the depth of emotion she can pour into such a limited word count. Go check it out (and maybe even tell her I sent you). The story is called Beautiful Tyrant. She's also writing a slashy side-fic for it called Splendour Mine which is worth checking out too. Actually, check out everything in her profile. **


	10. Chapter 9: The Hand That Feeds

**Chapter 9: The Hand That Feeds**

_A/N: I own nothing. Characters are all Stephenie Meyers' creations. I just enjoy playing with them. _

_A huge thank you must go to __ATaletobeTold and Albymangroves for __the work they did to get this chapter into shape. _

_They fixed it, but I meddled and may have broken it again._

_Hugs to my fic-wifeys and to my WC girls. _

_Thank you to Robrator for my beautiful banner __(http :/ / yfrog. com / h0znr8j)_

_Also, thank you to Ysar who surprised me with a banner for this story too (a very fitting EPOV banner me thinks) (http :/ / yfrog. com/kh92np_

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**~ People who bite the hand that feeds them usually lick the boot that kicks them ~**

**~ Eric Hoffer ~**

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My heart was thundering, racing faster than I ever thought possible. I concentrated on the sound, listening as one beat blended into the next with no idea of how it managed to keep up such a pace.

Initially, I was so focused on the ever-increasing rhythm that I hadn't noticed the contraction of the pain. The agony that had seared through my arm before, flooding my body had sharpened into a precise burn raging through my heart and licking at my throat.

Voices nearby drew my attention. They didn't distract me from the pain though; I just found that I could concentrate equally on my suffering and the new sensations.

"You don't know the half of it!" It was a female voice that sounded like the tinkling of bells. Somehow it was both familiar and not all at the same time.

A growl filled the air from the space above me. I was surprised to realize that I could judge both the proximity and direction from which the two voices were coming.

"What do you mean, _wolf_?" The snarling was replaced by a voice which sounded similar to Edward's.

I held my breath while I waited for someone to answer. I noticed my heart beat increasing even faster. Each new beat caused the pain to contract even further into my heart and throat—even if it made the fire there hotter.

"You must be mistaken." The voice that was almost-Edward's came from above me.

I realized I was still holding my breath as the moments ticked past. Although it registered in my mind that my lungs should have been burning in protest, it was only slightly uncomfortable. It was my heart that ached—burning white-hot in my chest—and I knew it wouldn't survive the torment much longer.

"They actually visited you?"

"We have a treaty with them," another male—an unfamiliar voice—replied.

"And out of a misguided sense of camaraderie, you covered for me?"

"Edward, you made a mistake. We've all made mistakes. No one in our family wants you to die for that mistake."

"How very kind of you." Edward's voice dripped with sarcasm. "But I'm a big boy, and I can deal with a few overgrown puppies."

My heart was pounding against my ribcage, urgent to be free of the fire. I wondered whether each new beat would be its last. Sure enough, unable to contain the agony any longer, my heart thudded to a sudden stop. I expected to find myself falling into oblivion, walking through dark tunnels or chasing the light; but nothing changed.

"Will you all just stop it with the lectures already?"

I snapped my eyes open, worried that I had lost some of my senses. Had someone else been speaking? I had only heard Edward's voice.

I was instantly assaulted by new stimuli. I had never seen so much or so clearly. I could see tiny insects taking residence in the small fissures snaking the half-rotten trunk of one of the trees that created a little canopy above me. As each new sight registered in my mind, new sounds flooded my senses. Thousands of hearts beat all around me; large ones pumping blood at slow paces around huge bodies, tiny ones thrumming in minuscule bodies.

I heard four bodies close by, drawing breath in and out with a regular rhythm, but realized quickly that none of the heartbeats I could hear accompanied the breaths.

I tore my gaze away from the intricate patterns in the canopy as I realized the conversation around me had stalled completely.

"Bella," the female voice whispered.

It almost sounded like it was supposed to be a greeting.

My eyes flicked toward the source of the voice instinctively.

I gasped when I saw Alice looking down at me sympathetically. Her boyfriend, Jasper, stood slightly in front of her, blocking her from me. Another blond man, who I recognized as Dr. Cullen from the times I'd been to the hospital, stood beside the pair and was looking down at me with sadness in his eyes.

I was at a complete loss about what was happening. New sights, smells and sounds flooded around me, and I felt like I was drowning in complete sensory overload.

I scrambled backwards, eager to put some distance between myself and the three newcomers regarding me so strangely. I forced my legs into the dirt to get some traction. As if my body knew what I wanted more than my mind did, it arched into a natural flip, and I landed on my feet, facing, but a number of yards away from, the others. I stared in shock at the imprint in the grass; the outline of my body that showed precisely where I had laid in agony only moments earlier.

Thinking about the pain—starting at the wound in my arm and quickly swallowing me whole—made the fire in the back of my throat burn that much hotter. I reached up for my throat, running my hands along the outside while swallowing deeply in an attempt to quell the dryness. A bitter, acidic taste assaulted me, and I wanted to spit it out. I needed a drink. I desperately needed something. The idea of water made my stomach churn, but there was something else. Something close by that I could tell would satisfy the thirst. I could hear the whoosh-whoosh sound of the thick liquid pumping and instinctively knew it was the sound of what I desired.

I squeezed my eyes shut as the source of the sound and smell that I craved registered in my mind. It was the sounds I had listened to before, the heartbeats all around me pumping life-giving fluid through veins.

"What…" I cut off at the sound of my voice. I had expected the savage burn scalding my throat to twist my vocal chords and make my voice gruff and low. I hadn't anticipated beautiful, chime-like sounds. It sounded much more like Alice's voice than my own.

Dr. Cullen stepped forward despite Jasper's hand resting momentarily on his shoulder in what was obviously a silent warning.

"Bella, I know that you must be very confused."

"She's not stable. Her emotions are all over the place." Jasper's voice was little more than a hiss, pushing air out between his teeth, and yet it carried easily to me on the soft breeze.

Alice pulled Jasper back against her momentarily. "Have some faith."

Dr. Cullen paused momentarily while they were having their conversation but seemed satisfied about something and resumed his slow steps, pacing toward me with measured care.

"I know you probably have a million things running through your mind." His eyes turned to Edward, as if for guidance. I heard Edward scoff, but I was unable to look at him yet. I was already overwhelmed and wasn't ready to face the onslaught of emotions I felt even thinking about his presence.

"It's okay, Bella," Alice said, even though her voice was full of stress which indicated it was anything but. "Carlisle will answer any questions you have."

I shook my head, but then one question did assault my mind and I knew I had to ask.

"What is he?" I inclined my head in the direction where I knew Edward stood.

Carlisle stopped his slow stepping.

"I know he isn't human," I said. My tone held a warning; I had just been through heaven knows how many hours of agony, I wasn't going to accept anything less than the truth. "So _what _is he?"

"You're right," Carlisle spoke slowly as if carefully choosing his words. "He is, we _all_ are, something else."

I crossed my arms across my chest and waited.

"Human legends would call us vampires."

The last word was almost silent, but I could still hear it perfectly. The sound of it rang in my ears and seemed to echo despite the dense forest surrounding us. _Vampire. _Suddenly the little things I'd noticed since waking began to register, like the way I could smell the blood of animals all around us and hear their beating hearts. Every muscle in my body locked into place and I couldn't move. Carlisle took another step toward me, but Edward stepped in front of him—coming into my line of sight.

Anger over what had been done to me, over the agony I'd been in, surged through my body, unlocking my muscles and coiling each one like a spring.

"You!" I seethed. My voice escaped me as a low growl as my body fell into a natural crouch.

Everything seemed to happen in slow motion, and yet, I saw it all clearly.

I leapt for Edward, every single muscle in my body releasing to send me propelling in his direction, almost as if I had been fired from a gun. I was powerless to stop the course that had been set in motion by my instincts.

Alice was thrown backward as Jasper leapt to protect Carlisle, who had instantly launched himself forward and crouched protectively in front of Edward. There were so many things I still didn't understand about the situation; least of all why the Cullens had come to the clearing, but all I could think of in that moment was that they stood between me and my revenge. I wanted Edward to suffer as I had suffered. I wanted him to fear as I had feared.

I twisted around Carlisle easily, rolling my arm to shake his hold loose. I weaved underneath Jasper's outstretched arm and listened to the tear as he grabbed hold of my shirt as I passed him by.

I barely felt the snap as the material ripped clean away from my skin. All I could see was my clean shot at revenge.

Edward still hadn't turned around or acknowledged me in any way. He hadn't even spoken directly to me.

As if he was waiting for some signal, he stood motionless until I was practically on top of him. Then he twisted deftly at the last possible second, gathering up one of my arms and securing it behind my back. The fingers of his other hand entwined themselves into my free hand. He used his momentum to redirect me, and I found myself squeezed between his body and a tree, with my loose hand secured tightly above my head.

I could feel the thin fabric of his shirt and every one of his buttons as if I could feel every inch of his torso pushing against mine. The hard, rough bark scratching uselessly along my arm and back contrasted strangely with the even harder, smooth body pressed against me. I knew that between the two forces, the tree would give long before Edward did.

I squirmed against him, but he held me tighter, using my own body to force my hand in place. I remembered the strength he'd had in my room—how ineffective my fighting had been against his hold.

"Bella."

The one word drew my anger into one, sharp focus point. I stared into his eyes as my senses were filled with him. His scent wafted around me—it was even more delicious than I remembered—almost masking the scent of blood around me. My vision was filled with his eyes—his red irises boring into mine.

Despite the anger that coursed through my body and made me want to strike out at him, I actually felt calmer surrounded by him the way I was. His presence allowed me to recover from the sensory overload I'd experienced earlier.

"Beautiful Bella," he murmured.

I struggled against his hold upon hearing his words. An astonished gasp from nearby drew my attention, but Edward was so close that his face was all I could see.

"Still as silent as ever." He brushed his nose softly against my temple.

After everything I'd been though, I wanted to hate him. I was so angry, and I wished that his simple touch didn't ignite fires deep within my body. I wanted to despise him; I couldn't though. His touch made my body sing; and _that_ made me want to scream.

I shook my head. "I'm not silent."

A new resolve settled over me as I fought harder against him and actually managed to push his hand away from the tree before he strengthened his hold and forced it back against the tree.

He laughed softly, if somewhat derisively. "I meant silent _here_." He brushed his nose against my temple again. Two more soft gasps followed the first.

I closed my eyes and twisted my face away from his touch. I was able to concentrate on blocking out the sounds and smells around me. I was able to focus back on my body and what I needed.

Finally, my mind gained control over my body, and I found extra strength. I pushed against him, hard and felt powerful as my shove sent him staggering back a number of steps.

He looked at me in shock before his characteristic smirk lit his face.

"What is your problem?" The words were out before I even realized I was saying them. He met my eyes again, and once again, I felt like I was pinned in place.

I heard a soft chuckle which reminded me of our spectators.

"Hardly, Alice," Edward murmured before turning to look at her.

I felt my body slump just a little as it was released from his gaze. Whenever he met my eyes, I felt a surge of…something. I just wasn't sure what it was. He seemed to be completely unaffected though.

"You're wrong," he said venomously. "And I'm _not_ going to discuss it further."

I still felt like I was missing half of the conversation. I opened my mouth to ask what the hell was going on, but Alice beat me to the punch.

"He can read minds," she said. She seemed to assess me carefully.

Edward scoffed.

Alice rolled her eyes. "Every mind, except yours."

I took a moment to digest what she was saying and then realized I would need so much more than a moment. In less than an hour, I had found out that apparently vampires really existed, and so did. Thinking the V word made reality hit me hard.

"Vampire," I spat. "Is that what _I_ am too?"

Three pairs of golden eyes watched me, concern evident in their depths. One pair of red eyes stared at me as if daring me to challenge his actions. I held his eyes to attempt to get him to answer my question.

"That was a mistake," he murmured, looking away.

For some reason, his words made my stomach turn. "I wasn't supposed to change_, _was I?"

He shook his head before his eyes snapped to Carlisle. He looked back at me, his face morphing into a mask of hatred. "No. You were supposed to _die_." He turned back to Carlisle. "Does that make you feel better?"

Carlisle sighed. "That wasn't what I meant, Edward." He turned his eyes to me. "I only wanted him to tell you the truth. I wanted him to explain what you are, and how you came to be. I'm sorry for the callousness of my son."

_Son?_

"I'm not your _son_," Edward hissed before pinching the bridge of his nose tightly.

I saw the look of hurt pass across Carlisle's face as Edward turned away.

Edward leapt easily over one of the ancient trunks which were creating the little shelter we were in. I heard his feet land lightly on the other side and then pause. I wasn't sure whether he was going to leave; I wasn't sure whether I wanted him to. There was only one thing I wanted.

I turned to Carlisle. "Can you please tell me what is happening?"

He nodded. "I can tell you everything I know."

I looked in the direction of Edward's disappearance. I could still make out his wild copper hair amongst the ancient trees. "Thank you."

Carlisle spent the next few minutes telling me his story. He told me all about his father, the vampire hunting priest, and how Carlisle had taken over the task. I heard the story of how he had tracked a vampire, but had ended up being attacked and responsible for the death of the hunting party. He explained the agony of his own transformation—I shuddered at the memory of the pain I'd been in—and the realisation about what he was becoming.

He explained his desire to find another way, and the fact that he didn't want to be a monster, and how he had happened across a deer while trying to steer clear of humanity. He'd been so thirsty he couldn't resist the call of the warm liquid pulsing through the beast's veins—my throat burned as he mentioned feeding—and had realized that it returned his strength and at least lessened his thirst momentarily. Alice and Jasper stood arm in arm, listening to his story and watching him with rapt attention. I could tell he held their respect.

I listened raptly to his story, only partly anxious to find out how it all related back to me and the situation I was in.

"After a long time alone and with other vampires, I decided to make a companion; someone who might be able to see the world as I do. Someone who might be able to look past the bloodlust and see the richness that humanity has to offer."

"And you created Edward?" I asked, as Carlisle's eyes slid to the spot where Edward was standing. I didn't know where the question had come from, but it just seemed logical.

Carlisle nodded sadly. "He was on his deathbed, dying of the Spanish Influenza. His mother begged me to do whatever I could to save her boy, right before passing away herself."

I heard a loud snap from Edward's direction. A mammoth tree that had stood tall only moments earlier was snapped in half and leaning away from him at an odd angle.

"Edward's mind reading talent was evident almost immediately. It was strange having him answer my every thought. At first, I don't even think he realized he was doing it." Carlisle's voice held the tone of a proud father.

"A number of years later, I was working in a hospital and Esme was admitted. I recognized her as a child I had treated years earlier, a girl who was full of life. She was so close to death, and it made me sad to see her life ebbing away.

"It was actually Edward who convinced me to put her through the pain of transformation. He could read in my mind what I truly wanted, and how much I loved her even then."

His eyes dropped to the floor. "I've never regretted having her join me in this life, but I do hate what I have lost as a result of my choices."

I felt terrible for him. His face looked so much older as he spoke about his losses. I knew that it had something to do with Edward.

A mocking laugh came from Edward's direction. I turned and realized he had come closer again.

"He sells it well, doesn't he?" Edward met my eyes, and again, I felt unusual stirrings throughout my body. I realized I couldn't turn away from him even if I wanted to. "I had to endure the agony of my transformation all over again as Esme turned. I had to live with her thirst combining with my own, and yet, I was expected to continue to follow the animal-only diet. Can you imagine how hard that was? I know you can feel it now, can't you? The ache? The burn that feels like it is running from the tip of your tongue down to the very pit of your stomach."

I swallowed roughly as his words reignited the fire that had never really stopped burning.

"I can't even hear your mind, and I know what you are going through. Imagine twin thirsts. Imagine having to live with the knowledge that at any moment you could slip and takes someone's life and knowing that if you did that the only person you had in the whole world—the same person who had denied you the luxury of death—would be disappointed in you."

By the end of his tirade, Edward was facing Carlisle, who was looking at the ground.

"So yeah, feel sorry for the monster who forced this life on me, if you have to."

Edward's face was a mask of anger, but as he stared back at me, there was something else there too. I just had no idea what it was.

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	11. Chapter 10: Cornered

**Chapter 10: Cornered**

_A/N: I own nothing. Characters are all Stephenie Meyers' creations really. I just enjoy playing with them. Love & kisses to my fic-wifeys (Gabbysway2 & CorrinaTFF) . _

_Thank you to Robrator for my beautiful banner __(http :/ / yfrog. com / h0znr8j)_

_Also, thank you to Ysar who surprised me with a banner for this story too (a very fitting EPOV banner me thinks) (http :/ / yfrog. com/kh92np)_

_A huge thank you must go to __ATaletobeTold and Albymangroves for __the work they did to get this chapter into shape. _

_They fixed it, but I meddled and may have broken it again._

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**~ Even a hare will bite when it is cornered ~**

**~ Chinese proverb ~**

~ 0 ~

I wanted to run from the 'family' reunion which I had been unwillingly thrust into, but something held me in place. It was almost as if a cord tied me to the spot where Carlisle stood with his precious 'children' and Bella. I tried to run, but only made it a short distance.

I heard Carlisle recounting his story and felt a flash of anger surge through me. He always painted himself to be the victim—the lonely angel who walked the earth for centuries before finally breaking down and seeking companionship. The reality was that he was a coward. He was too afraid to turn anyone earlier. He feared that tasting even the small amount of blood necessary to start the change could be enough to turn him into a killer. Before turning me, he could only guess about what he was missing. He had seen feasts during his time with the Volturi but had never been involved.

I clenched my fist as I listened to the rest of his story—a story I knew all too well. I was drawn back to the group. I wanted Bella to see that he wasn't as innocent as he pretended to be. He had forced the thirst onto me and then denied me the opportunity to quench it. He had given me the one thing that was a curse to vampires—a conscience. It had taken so much blood and gratification to drown mine. Being around Carlisle and his self-righteous family stirred that part of me that I had managed to silence over the years.

All of the nomad vampires I'd met were vain, self-obsessed and utterly crazy. They were driven by desire for their next feed and paid humanity little, if any, attention. To the average vampire, humans were as interesting as cattle. It was easy, if a little boring, to be around them. At least I didn't have to question my choices. Nor did I have to deny my desires. It was only after I left Carlisle that I realized I had constantly felt judged for wanting to fulfill my basic needs.

My anger dissipated almost as quickly as it had come when I looked at Bella. It was very hard to remain angry when she was wearing nothing more than the shredded remains of her shirt. The transformation had seen the plains of her body harden, but she still had perfect curves. The way the tattered cloth teased the sides of her breasts was incredibly distracting.

I stared at her in frustration. Since the moment I'd first smelled her, so many years earlier, she had come to challenge everything I knew about the world. Despite often hoping to the contrary, I _knew_ there was no one in the world that was immune to my talent. I _knew_ the blissful state that occurred in the moments of orgasm was enough to mask the pain of my bite. I _knew _the transition from human to vampire took days and days. She had breezed in and proven all of that knowledge to be incorrect.

From the moment she'd woken, I'd been almost too afraid to look at her. I didn't want to acknowledge the monster I _knew _I had created. I could see her in the three other minds though, and she didn't look like a monster. She looked like a scared and lost woman, vulnerable and in need of guidance. Her red eyes shone with confusion. It was a sight far worse than the monster I'd been imagining, awakening my guilt which had lain dormant for decades. Worse, it dredged up my memories of my own awakening.

As soon as I had realized she intended to attack me, I acted in self-defense. I watched her actions through Alice's visions and reacted accordingly. What I hadn't been prepared for is what I would feel when I had her pinned beneath me. Her scent, her skin, everything about her drove me crazy when I was so close to her. It disconcerted me because I had never before been even remotely attracted to a vampire.

The lost girl from earlier was long gone though, replaced with cold stares and careful calculations. I watched as Bella's eyes bounced between Carlisle and me. She seemed to be weighing my words against his, my story against his. I knew that she saw me as a monster, and I wondered whether that extended to my maker too, or if she saw his righteous words as proof that he wasn't like me.

A breeze took the scraps of Bella's shirt and pushed them around, exposing even more skin, and I couldn't take it anymore. I turned back to Carlisle, ignoring the information from Jasper's mind and tuning out Alice altogether. "Why don't you just go back to Forks and do whatever it is you do there? I can sort out my own mess."

"Is that what you think of me?" The venom in Bella's voice made me cringe. "I'm just a mess that you need to sort out."

"It's not as simple as that."

"We're not leaving," Alice said, obviously realizing that I was ignoring her thoughts.

"Why not?" I could see her reasons in her mind, but I wanted her to say them out loud.

"Because I don't want Bella to be like you."

Alice made short work of the distance between herself and Bella, picking up a shirt from the rucksack as she went. She held it out to Bella, still remaining a few steps back.

Bella looked at the shirt in confusion and then down at her body. I wished I knew what she was thinking as she snatched the shirt from Alice with a muttered, "Thank you."

"You have a choice, Bella," Alice said once Bella had slipped the new shirt on. "You can stay with our family if you like."

"I want to go home," Bella replied.

"You can't," Carlisle said. "You've changed too much, and people will notice something is unusual. Even if you could get past that, the call of blood would likely be too strong to resist. You are only a newborn, it will be impossible for you to control yourself around humans."

"I can't go back to Forks and not go home," Bella murmured.

"We won't be going back to Forks," Alice said, taking another step forward and touching Bella's arm gently.

A growl built in my chest, but I didn't know why. I managed to stall the sound before it escaped.

Bella looked lost. "But that's your home."

I wanted to tell Alice and Carlisle to back off. They had no right trying to force their lifestyle onto Bella; they had no right to keep her away from me.

"We move around a lot," Carlisle said. "We have many homes. Some of them are in very remote areas. We could make sure you don't kill a human.

"We are all very aware that every human has a family. They are all someone's mother, father, brother, sister. Maybe even someone's daughter." He met Bella's eye on the last word, and I knew he was trying to get her to see it his way.

He turned to me. "Edward, I know you blame me for every kill that you've ever made. I know that you think it is my fault because I inflicted this existence on you. I accept that. I feel guilty every single day that you are not happy with what you are and for the fact that you feel you need to feed on humans." He had turned to face me completely, but I was too busy watching Bella again. "It was my choice to turn you, and therefore, I shoulder the blame."

I smirked that he finally understood what I'd been trying to tell him, and Alice, for years. I counted it as a small victory for all the games we'd played.

"However, turning Bella was _your_ choice. It may not have been your initial intention, but it was the result. I cannot shoulder the responsibility for any death that she causes. Can you?"

I didn't have an answer for him. Instead, I felt my smirk fall into a sneer. How dare he suggest that I would be responsible for anything Bella did? I didn't consciously choose to turn her the way he had turned me. She wasn't the result of a desire to have companionship. She was an accident, a rogue occurrence, nothing more.

Jasper was reading Bella's emotions, constantly assessing whether he thought she would become a threat to Alice or Carlisle. _I know Carlisle has been through this before, but I wonder if we'll be able to cope with Edward's castoff. She is wild and unpredictable. She wasn't supposed to be created. Maybe we should just destroy her ourselves before she becomes a risk to our lives. _

I growled at his thoughts. I hadn't endured hours upon hours of hearing her screams just to have him destroy her. I allowed Alice's screaming mind in for just a moment to ensure she hadn't seen that eventuality.

"Carlisle, I think you are right." It pained me to say it. "But you have to promise me her safety. You can tell the wolves you interrupted a nomad attacking her and fought him off. I don't think they will come after your family for my mistake."

"The wolves will track your scent. They will kill you. I'm not willing to allow that."

I chuckled darkly. I could not care less if the wolves came after me. I could take them on or disappear effectively if I needed to.

"How very noble of you," I said sardonically. "But I can handle myself."

"Don't _I_ get a say in this?" Bella's voice had a new fire in it. She definitely seemed to be experiencing the full swing of newborn emotions. "You tell me I can't go home, but that doesn't mean I'd want to live with you." She seemed to realize her words might hurt. "I'm sorry, but I don't know you. I don't know any of you."

"You need someone to guide you," Alice said quietly. "There are rules that need to be followed. You must learn those rules or risk being destroyed."

"I can learn on my own," Bella bristled.

"No," Jasper said. "The rules are very particular that your creator has to show you the way."

"Then let _him_ show me."

"What?" The exclamation left my lips before I even realized it.

"I don't know if that's a good idea," Carlisle said at almost the same time.

"I think Bella is right." Alice had a small smile on her face and was trying to meet my eye. She'd been trying to tell me this would be the outcome since we'd began discussing what would happen to Bella, even as she fought to have Bella join their family. She was convinced Bella was in love with me. She tried showing me other visions, but I wasn't even willing to think about those.

"We will accept your decision, Bella," Carlisle conceded as soon as Alice had spoken. I knew they relied on Alice's visions, but I wondered whether they realized that her visions could be flawed. There was no way that what she had seen while I had Bella pinned to the tree beneath me could possibly happen.

Bella looked from person to person rapidly, as if taking in each face would somehow aid her in her choice. "I…I…"

Pity stirred in my chest as I thought about everything that she had just endured, and everything she was still to learn. I knew what it was like to wake and be thrust into a whole new world.

"I'll go with Edward," she said finally.

It didn't sound like she was happy with the choice, and I couldn't exactly say I was either. I could only imagine how much she was going to slow me down. I didn't have too much time to think it through though, because as much as I hated to admit it, Carlisle was right. She was my responsibility. That didn't mean I had to like it.

"Are you certain?" Carlisle asked cautiously.

Bella nodded and suddenly it was decided. The fact that I hadn't actually agreed to have her accompany me meant little to the Cullens.

"If you ever change your mind, you're more than welcome to join us." It didn't escape my attention that Carlisle had directed his statement to me as well as Bella.

Bella nodded solemnly and then looked at me uncertainly, no doubt seeking my leadership or something. _Great._

The three Cullens dispersed as quickly and quietly as they had arrived.

_Look after her, Edward. _Alice's final thought floated back to me.

I realized I was suddenly tasked with making sure I kept someone else safe and fed. I had no idea how to look after another person—even if that person was actually a vampire.

I watched Bella carefully as she picked up her rucksack and threw it over her shoulder. I tilted my head as she stalked away from me without glancing back.

"What are you doing?" I asked. I hated that I couldn't just gleam the information from her mind.

She walked faster. "What does it look like I'm doing? I'm getting the hell away from you."

I laughed heartily. That certainly wasn't the response I'd expected after she'd all but begged to be with me.

"I don't see what's so funny," she murmured. She was almost half a mile away and still in sight, but even if she disappeared, I could easily follow her intoxicating scent. She wasn't even _trying_ to cover her own tracks.

"You can't escape me," I called after her. "If I wanted to, I could track your scent halfway around the world." I ran after her, covering the distance between us in a fraction of the time she'd taken to walk it. I rounded on her and forced her to stop.

She froze in place. "Why can't you just let me go?"

I frowned. Was that what she really wanted? If so, why didn't she just leave before? "Where are you going to go?"

"Home." Her eyes pleaded with me to understand and I felt a stab of something deep inside.

"You can't go home."

"Why not?"

"You heard Carlisle. The temptation will be far too much for you to resist. If you go home, you will rip your father's throat out in an attempt to get to his blood."

"What am I supposed to do then?" she snapped.

I took a step back. I may have been strong, but I wasn't stupid. I knew not to get into a fracas with a newborn. For the next few months at least, Bella's strength would easily outmatch mine. The only reason I had risked taking her on earlier was because I could use Alice's visions to guide the outcome. I wasn't going to risk an altercation without that benefit.

"Come with me," I offered. "I can't guarantee I'll be good company. I have no doubt you'll want to leave within a week, but at least, I can teach you things about this new existence in the meantime."

"Like?"

I smirked. "Like your newfound speed?" I offered her my hand.

She frowned as she looked at it skeptically.

"Trust me?" I wiggled my fingers in invitation.

"No. I don't."

It was no less than I deserved. I had been the cause of the greatest pain she would ever experience. I had inflicted the thirst and this life on her by my inability to kill her during her transformation. I deserved some credit though surely for giving her a rush before her death, for granting her the experience that only one in a thousand humans would experience otherwise. The dizzying rush of emotions that only vampire pheromones—or maybe love, if you believed in that sort of thing—could cause.

I raised my eyebrow as she met my eye. "Please?" I offered my hand again.

"Why do I feel like I'm going to regret this?"

I grinned as I felt her fingers entwine with my own. A tiny bolt of static electricity leapt between our palms as they connected. I almost pulled away from the unfamiliar sensation, but I knew I owed Bella this much at least. She had given me the best feast of my existence to date; the least I could do was to help her learn about her new body.

Within three steps, we were running. Bella easily stayed at my side, and when I turned to look at her, she was smiling. It was a small smile, but I considered it a victory after the way the day had gone.

"See," I murmured. "It isn't too bad, is it? Sometimes I think that if it wasn't for the thirst, this life would be perfect."

She stopped suddenly. Her fingers froze around mine, and I was jolted to a sudden stop. My shoulder bore the brunt of the pressure, and I heard a crack as fissures broke out along the joint.

Her hand rose to her throat, and she raked it gently.

"Sorry. I forgot that you hadn't fed yet." It was easy to forget about her thirst when I wasn't privy to her thoughts, especially when her blood bolstered my reserves and left me feeling strong and powerful.

She would need to feed which would present a problem. Carlisle had implanted a seed in my head which wouldn't be ignored. If I blamed him for my blood-drinking, then as her creator, I was responsible for any deaths she caused. If I was to wash my hands of any humans she killed, surely I had to accept responsibility for my own actions over the years. I wasn't sure I was entirely ready to do that.

"Let's find you a grizzly." I grinned at her.

"A grizzly?"

I shrugged. "Perhaps a mountain lion?"

She chuckled nervously. "And what exactly do you expect me to do with a mountain lion?"

I raised my eyebrow. I knew she could work that much out.

Her nose turned up in disgust.

"I could always take you to a mall, see if any_one_ takes your fancy."

She shuddered.

"Come. I know a good hunting ground nearby. One the Cullens used to use."

She gave me an odd look, and I knew she was wondering how I knew about it. I guessed that she assumed since I fed on her, I fed on humans exclusively. I couldn't blame her for the assumption. She had no way of knowing that I'd occasionally fed on animals, too, at least when there were no other choices available. .

Bella looked more than a little anxious as she trailed behind me on the way. Even though I couldn't hear her thoughts, I knew exactly what was going through her mind. I could still clearly remember the first time Carlisle had taken me hunting. I was terrified and anxious but also terribly excited. He'd started me on basic game, deer and other herbivores. I wasn't going to make that mistake with Bella though. That prey was almost as stomach turning as human food; at least the predators had an almost palatable taste.

I stopped as soon as I heard one of the big cats nearby. Bella paused behind me and I turned to guide her in the hunt, but it was already too late. She shot off in the direction of her prey almost instantly. I shrugged and leaned against a tree, watching and listening with amusement to her first hunt.

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**A/N:- *Waves* I am still here & still alive. RL kicks butt sometimes. 'Til next time xx **


	12. Chapter 11: Drink

**Chapter 11: Drink**

_A/N: I own nothing. Characters are all Stephenie Meyers' creations really. I just enjoy playing with them. Love & kisses to my fic-wifeys (Gabbysway2 & CorrinaTFF) . _

_Thank you to Robrator for my beautiful banner __(http :/ / yfrog. com / h0znr8j)_

_Also, thank you to Ysar who surprised me with a banner for this story too (a very fitting EPOV banner me thinks) (http :/ / yfrog. com/kh92np)_

_A huge thank you must go to __ATaletobeTold and Albymangroves for __the work they did to get this chapter into shape. _

_They fixed it, but I meddled and may have broken it again._

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**~ I try not to drink too much because when I'm drunk, I bite. ~ **

**~ Bette Midler ~ **

~ 0 ~

I leapt higher and higher, springing lightly from branch to branch in search of the prey I could smell. I had no idea what it was, and it wasn't really overly appealing, but my desiccated throat needed something. My instincts had kicked in the moment I crossed the scent and I allowed them to carry me forward.

I finally saw my prey through the thick canopy. I was a few feet higher, looking down on a giant cat. Any thoughts I'd had over how revolting drinking from an animal would be faded away as I watched the blood pulse through the mountain lion. The heat and scent emanating from the animal compelled me forward.

Liquid pooled in my mouth, vile and acrid. It seemed to inflame the burn in my throat that had never really faded. I swallowed it down, desperate to replace the horrid fluid with something soothing.

I jumped from my perch and stretched my arms out to reach for the beast. As soon as I had a firm grip on the animal, I brought its neck to my mouth and tore at it eagerly. The blood poured rapidly from the wound as I lapped and sucked at it, mourning every drop that spilled down. The beast was drained and lifeless by the time we smashed to the ground together. I stood quickly, desperately seeking something else to soothe my barely quenched thirst.

I sprang up into the trees, another heartbeat nearby drawing my attention. It was larger, louder and the welcome thump-thump called to me. I forced my way through the treetop as long as I could, before realizing the scent was coming from the forest floor. I dropped to the ground and rushed through the trees, racing quicker than I would have ever thought possible, faster even than I'd run with Edward.

Desperation raced through my body and I knew I needed to find the prey. I followed my nose, allowing the scent of the beast to draw me in. I rounded on my quarry, momentarily startling the large brown bear. I landed heavily on the animal, twisting my arms around its neck and pulling it into me. My mouth desperately sought the jugular. I was more careful this time because I didn't want to spill a drop. The bear's paws swiped at me ineffectively until finally the life drained from the creature, and it fell lifeless to the forest floor.

I stepped back from the carcass, shocked at how thoughtlessly and recklessly I had thrown myself into the hunt. I hadn't been in control of my senses at all, and the thought scared me.

_What if a human had wandered into my path?_ In terms of my new existence, I was only hours old, and I wasn't ready to lose the final piece of humanity I felt. I knew my first kill would destroy that.

I had no idea how far I had run or in what direction. I was alone in the world. Truly alone; I couldn't even go home.

The realization was crushing, and I felt all the muscles in my body lock down in response to the staggering weight of devastation threatening to crash down over me. I closed my eyes and leaned against a tree.

The soft crunch of leaves under foot and then Edward's laughter carried to me easily.

"Well, that was certainly interesting to watch."

It was enough to remind me that I wasn't entirely alone. I had Edward.

I wasn't sure which was worse.

"I suppose you'll want this?" Edward held up another shirt, and I realized that I had been disrobed without noticing for the second time in one day. The remnants clinging to me of the shirt Alice had given me were torn and bloodied.

"How did you find me?"

He laughed heartily. "I told you I could track your particular scent to the ends of the earth if I was so inclined."

"I don't understand," I admitted, a little reluctantly.

He turned and laid the shirt over a tree branch near him before stepping closer to me. He held up his arms in a way that I was certain was supposed to be non-threatening. He kept walking closer until he was practically on top of me. He eyed me carefully before tilting his head slightly to the side, exposing his neck.

"Close your eyes," he murmured.

As if some part of me was hardwired to listen to his instructions, I did. Somehow, despite the pain he'd caused and what I was certain he'd originally intended to do to me, I knew he wasn't going to hurt me now. He'd had plenty of opportunity to do so while I was lying prostrate with agony. Instead, he had whispered soft words to me.

His finger touched my chin, and he gently guided my face forward until my nose skimmed his throat.

"Inhale," he whispered, his Adam's apple brushing against my lips as he spoke.

I breathed in deeply. A heady aroma filled my nose, heavy like cinnamon and spice–the warm perfume of baking gingerbread—but also light like the smell that lingers in the air the moment before it rains. I could smell and taste the scent simultaneously. It permeated into my mind, twisting around memories and cementing itself deep within the confines of my consciousness.

Suddenly, the absence of the scent was noticeable. I opened my eyes and Edward was gone. I frowned, uncertain what the hell he was playing at. I tilted my head as the lingering trace of the scent that had invaded my senses moments earlier played at the tip of my nose. I turned my head and noticed the scent hung in the air more strongly in one direction.

I followed the trail that the scent seemed to create in the air. I walked a distance toward a particularly thick clump of trees. I realized the scent tracked around one side and continued to pursue it. I rounded the trees to find Edward smugly leaning against one of them.

"See?" he asked, kicking away from the tree gently. "Your sense of smell is your greatest asset."

He gave me one of his trademark smirks.

"Well, almost your greatest…" he trailed off as his eyes slid over my chest.

I crossed my arms over my breasts and turned away from him.

"There's a stream over there if you want to wash off." His breath almost felt warm against my skin, much more so then when I was still human.

The reminder of what he'd done to me was enough to send me marching away from him, toward the no doubt freezing water to clean off the blood and fur that covered me.

I stripped down to my underwear before sinking into the water, which was actually deeper than I would have thought, coming to rest just below my breasts. The undercurrent was strong—it probably would have unsteadied a human trying to cross it—but I was stronger, easily able to resist its force.

"You want to see something else that you can do now that's a little mind-blowing?"

I refused to let Edward know that he startled me again. Instead, I turned my back on him, holding my hands across my exposed skin

He chuckled, enjoying my discomfort far too much.

I heard the sound of clothing dropping to the ground and then felt the ripples of current change against my body as he entered the water too. "Please let me show you?" He rounded on me, coming to stand in front of me.

My eyes ran over his torso quickly drinking in his hard lines and perfectly proportions. The dying afternoon sun shimmered off his body. I averted my eyes quickly when I realized he wasn't shy. In fact, he was nude.

He chuckled again, and I felt my anger spike again.

"There's no real need for modesty is there? Not after everything we've shared?"

My incredulity broke to the surface. "Shared? _Shared?_ You manipulated me, made me fall in love with you, took my virginity and then fed off me. I don't think that falls within anyone's definition of _sharing_."

My arms flailed wildly in time with my words as a means of releasing the anger within.

He watched me with a cocked brow, but otherwise remained totally still. "Finished?"

He smiled and glanced at my bared skin.

His arrogance made my rage surge. I re-crossed my arms sharply.

"No! I'm not finished. I'm nowhere near finished. You tore everything I ever cared about away from me. I have nothing and no one, and now I'm stuck with you."

I wanted to keep shouting at him, but without dropping his smirk, he sunk down under the water crossing his legs until he was completely submerged and the current floated his hair away from him like a misshapen halo.

I crossed my arm and waited for him to surface for air. I knew he would have to before long.

I waited, but he didn't resurface.

He tilted his head up and grinned at me, giving me the thumbs up.

I stared at him incredulously as I waited some more.

There was no movement beneath the water. He didn't blow tiny bubbles as the air was pushed from his lungs. He didn't take huge gasping breaths of water into his mouth as the breathing reflex took effect. He just sat, still and silent, grinning up at me like a Cheshire cat from the bottom of the stream. His hair undulated around his face, giving the whole scene an otherworldly appearance.

I kicked my foot out slightly, nudging his leg to get his attention. He grinned even wider and beckoned me to join him beneath the surface. The anger I'd felt shifted to curiosity.

_How can he stay under for so long?_

I couldn't contain my inquisitiveness a moment longer. I released the hold my arms had around my body and sank beneath the water. I held my breath as my hair swirled around me. Edward was downstream from me and the current pushed my hair toward him in silky tendrils. I watched him gazing at me in quiet amusement. We stared at each other for what felt like an age before I realized why he'd been under the water for so long. It was easy. A tiny ache in my chest was the only indicator that I wasn't breathing, and that ache was easier to ignore than the burn in my throat. It just felt a little awkward with the same stale air resting in my lungs. I smiled at Edward before remembering why I was upset with him.

I pushed myself out of the water, dashing quickly to where my rucksack was. I used some of the clean clothes to dry myself off and then dressed into another outfit. Edward was behind me almost as quickly, already dressed and digging a deep hole. I had no idea what he was doing until he began to haphazardly throw all the clothes I wasn't currently wearing into the ground. He quickly covered it up and pushed a small sapling into the soft earth before rinsing his fingers in the stream.

"What was that for?" I asked.

"I'm covering my tracks. We need to get as far from here as possible, just in case the Cullens led the wolves here inadvertently."

He deftly leapt into the shallower waters lapping at the opposite bank. "We'll travel upstream a little way and then we'll take to the trees. We'll continue on that way for as long as we can, at least for a couple of states for the time being."

I gulped. "States?"

I knew we were still in Washington, and I wasn't sure how I felt about leaving the life I had just started there behind to face an unknown future. I stared at the freshly planted tree on the mound of dirt containing the last of my clothes. I had to follow Edward. I had nowhere else to go.

"Edward, what exactly arethe wolves?" I asked tentatively. I had just destroyed a mountain lion and a bear; I didn't see why I should be afraid of a wolf.

He stopped and waited until I had caught up with him before slinging an arm around my shoulder. "They are…not our problem anymore."

~ 0 ~

For three days straight, we were constantly in motion. We ran through rivers, lakes and streams. We alighted to the very top of tall trees and leapt from one to another. I fed as often as I needed to and piece by piece Edward filled me in on my new existence.

He kept me a safe distance from humans, ensuring I didn't harm anyone. It suited me fine because I didn't even want to imagine hurting someone the way Edward had hurt me and my family.

Each day, Edward ventured into a town and returned with a fresh outfit for each of us. I objected more than once to his selection for me. Usually the items were either too tight or too short. Without fail, his response was that he'd never had to find anything for a woman before and it was harder than it looked, especially when his choices were limited to washing on clotheslines.

Over our time together, I learned I was stronger than him—at least in the short term—and faster too, but I clung to my human traits much more than he did. I was happy to plod along at a human speed on occasion.

Day by day, his mood worsened as the bright red of his eyes faded to a dull maroon. My mood seemed to vacillate regularly between fiery anger and exhilaration as I learned about my new existence. On so many occasions, I had come close to running from him. The only thing that stopped me was the knowledge that there was nowhere else I could go.

"Hurry up!" he snapped as I fell behind once again.

"Why are you being so mean to me?" I growled, stomping my foot and crossing my arms.

I received a cocked eyebrow and one of his trademark smirks in response. "You should see yourself right now!" he laughed. "You look like a three-year-old."

"Well, I guess that's fitting since _you_ made me a newborn."

He scowled at me. "I didn't _ask_ you to come with me."

"I didn't really have many options, did I?"

"You could have stayed with the Cullens," he snarled.

"I don't even know them. Alice only started talking to me the first day I saw you."

"Yeah, I know." He started to walk again, muttering to himself, "Interfering little bitch."

I stalked quickly after him. "Will you at least tell me _where_ we are going? I've followed you across God knows how many states, I think I deserve to know that much at least."

"I have to start planning now if I am going to satisfy my cravings anytime soon."

"What cravings are those exactly?" I asked, fearing that I already knew the answer.

He rolled his eyes. "I need blood."

"Why don't you join me on one of my hunts?" Part of me knew that it shouldn't have been such a casual statement. It was almost disconcerting how quickly some aspects of my new existence had become second nature. It was harder for me to accept the way Edward fed than the way I needed to.

"I can't."

"Why not?" I challenged.

He closed his eyes and a look of quiet bliss crossed his features. "I have very particular tastes."

My chest constricted when I thought about what his tastes were. The crescent shaped scar on my wrist throbbed as I considered it. I took a deep breath. "Like?"

He reached for my arm and traced his fingers gently over my scar. The sensation sent shivers running through my body. His gaze focused on his fingers trailing over my skin. "There are certain people in the world whose blood sings to me. They are so rare, so unique, but they are the only ones worth feasting on."

A sickening thought struck me.

"Did you do, well, you know…" Had I still been human, my skin would have taken on a pinkish tinge as I fumbled my way through the question I needed to ask. "What we did, with _all_ of them?"

Venom rose in my throat thinking that his seduction of me was little more than a game.

He released my arm and turned away. "It doesn't really matter what I did with anyone else, does it?"

I took his statement as confirmation that he'd done the same thing with every other person he'd fed from. It brought home the reality of my situation more than anything else he'd ever said. Any proclamations of actual feelings were lies. He had told me I was unique, and special, but he had misled me about the reason why. It was obvious now that I was nothing more to him than another notch on his fangs, albeit the only one who survived the attack.

_Except he doesn't _have_ fangs, _I reminded myself. I _don't have fangs. _

I was suddenly overwhelmed by the sheer impossibility of the situation. Less than a week earlier, my biggest concerns were running late for class and whether to spend Christmas with Charlie or Renee.

_Now… _

I would never see my parents again. I would never see my friends again. Sure, I hadn't exactly made any close friends at Forks, but that didn't mean I wanted to turn my back on that life entirely. Although Jessica…I couldn't say I would miss her all that much.

I hadn't realised I'd stopped walking again until I saw that Edward was almost a quarter mile in front of me. I debated turning and running in the other direction, but I had no one else. Going with Edward may have been a terrible choice. However, I didn't yet have the means to fend for myself, to get my own clothes, at least not without coming close to humans, and there was no way I could risk it.

"Will you wait up, please?" I charged after him, surprising myself again with my speed. I wondered if I would ever get used to my new existence.

He turned around and sighed. "Look, I get it, I fucked up with you, but can you please decide whether you are coming or going? I'm not going to wait around forever."

_Forever_—another part of my new existence that I had to come to terms with. "What exactly is your plan?" I had to ask it, all the while mentally kicking myself for not asking earlier.

"Do you want the specifics?" he sneered.

Flashes of dim human memories played through my mind: Edward standing in the forest, sweetly whispered words.

_Lies. Lies. Lies._

The true horror of what he'd done to me burned through my mind. I felt ashamed but above everything else, I felt angry.

_How _dare_ he do that, and stand there looking so smug. _

My hand flew of its own accord, striking his face with a satisfying crack. Edward stared at me with open shock as I took a step backward.

I couldn't believe what I had done. I had never struck out in anger before, and although he deserved it, I didn't want to resort to violence to solve my problems. I couldn't deny that a tiny part of me derived some satisfaction from it.

Edward continued to stare at me in wide-eyed shock.

I took another step back before turning and running for Forks as fast as I could. I risked one glance over my shoulder to see Edward running off in the opposite direction.

I had no idea what I was going to do next, or where I was going to go, but I already felt like a part of me was missing.

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	13. Chapter 12: Rattle

**Chapter 12: Rattle**

_A/N: I own nothing. Characters are all Stephenie Meyers' creations really. I just enjoy playing with them. Love & kisses to my fic-wifeys (Gabbysway2 & CorrinaTFF) . _

_Thank you to Robrator for my beautiful banner __(http :/ / yfrog. com / h0znr8j)_

_Also, thank you to Ysar who surprised me with a banner for this story too (a very fitting EPOV banner me thinks) (http :/ / yfrog. com/kh92np)_

_A huge thank you must go to __Albymangroves for __the work she did to get this chapter into shape. _

_She fixed it, but I meddled and may have broken it again._

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**~ If you rattle a snake, you must be prepared to be bitten by it ~ **

**~ John Michuki ~**

~ 0 ~

_Recap: Edward stalked Bella & seduced her. He drank her blood but was distracted by the sounds of someone coming to check on her. He had to get out of there fast and she was in the process of changing before he was able to try again. He found himself unable to kill her before she changed._

_Bella woke to her new life and decided to follow Edward so that he could teach her about immortatily. _

**_Chapter 11 Ending:_**

_The true horror of what he'd done to me burned through my mind. I felt ashamed but above everything else, I felt angry._

How dare he do that, and stand there looking so smug.

_My hand flew of its own accord, striking his face with a satisfying crack. Edward stared at me with open shock as I took a step backward._

_I couldn't believe what I had done. I had never struck out in anger before, and although he deserved it, I didn't want to resort to violence to solve my problems. I couldn't deny that a tiny part of me derived some satisfaction from it._

_Edward continued to stare at me in wide-eyed shock._

_I took another step back before turning and running for Forks as fast as I could. I risked one glance over my shoulder to see Edward running off in the opposite direction._

_I had no idea what I was going to do next, or where I was going to go, but I already felt like a part of me was missing._

~ 0 ~

My cheek stung momentarily where Bella's hand had connected with it.

I was a little shocked that she had struck at me, but more surprised she hadn't done it sooner. I had tried to bite my tongue around her, but it was becoming increasingly difficult. Each day as she hunted, the scent of blood filled the air and made my mouth water. The smell would drive me crazy because I wanted it—in fact, I craved it with every fiber of my being—but I knew it wouldn't be satisfying. Animal blood never was.

What irritated me the most about Bella's hunting was that it wasn't _only_ the blood that made me hunger. There was something utterly tantalizing about the way she moved as she stalked her prey. Especially in the short skirts and tight fitting tops which I ensured were in constant supply—even if it did take me longer to pillage items which would enhance her features. Watching her hunt stoked the flames of desire that had awakened the very first time I'd encountered her scent.

As the days passed, I realized that I was desperate for my next hunt. I _needed _to be satiated. I was going crazy with hunger and lust. I even briefly considered joining her in a hunt and trying to seduce her afterwards, which was evidence of how crazy and deprived I had become.

I grew more concerned as we travelled because I had yet to find a feast that would be anywhere near as satisfying as my last. I'd had a few prospects lined up prior to commencing Bella's seduction, but when I'd returned to the areas—with Bella in tow—the scents weren't nearly as appealing as I'd remembered them. Strangely though, nothing had actually changed about their smells. It was simply that I now had knowledge of the perfect taste, and everything else would pale in comparison.

With the conscience Carlisle had re-awoken in me gnawing away at my insides, I knew I couldn't take just any meal; I had to wait for the perfect one.

As I watched Bella running away, I began to feel hope that her absence would drive the memory of her from my mind and leave me to hunt in peace. Even as I watched her disappearing into the trees, I could taste the sweetness of her scent hanging in the air around me. It was delicious, but didn't make me hunger for her the way it had before, instead new desires coursed through my body.

I needed to get away from her, if only to clear my thoughts.

I stole one last glance at her retreating figure.

_Good riddance, _I thought before I ran in the opposite direction.

I hadn't gone far before my chest started to ache. I slowed my stride as my mind went into overdrive. It felt like I had forgotten something, something important, but I couldn't think what. I never carried items with me—unless I was actively procuring a feast and needed changes in clothes or other goodies. I had no need for identification or money. Whatever else I needed, I took.

The sensation continued to gnaw at me as I put distance between myself and the spot where Bella had left me. The feeling was unsettling enough that I ran faster to try to escape it. For the rest of the day I ran without stopping, but the instead of diminishing, the nagging ache grew with each mile.

Finally, I had to stop.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

I tried to convince myself that the feeling wasn't mine. I certainly wasn't missing anything. If it wasn't for the fact that I knew no one else was nearby I would have assumed the feeling was something I was garnering from the mind of someone nearby. Only there _was_ no one nearby. I listened intently for the sound of another's thoughts. For the first time ever, I longed for the interference, if only to distract me from my own thoughts. With my eyes closed, images of Bella from before and after her change haunted me.

No one else I had selected had ever affected me so. I knew it was because she was the only one I'd made a mistake with. She was the only one who had survived against all odds. My guilt and anger attacked me equally, rendering me insane.

I exhaled steadily.

I needed to do something soon to get her out of my mind, she was driving me crazy. I shook off the insanity that seemed to be cloaking me, and ran in the direction of the next girl on my mental list.

~ 0 ~

It took two days of running and hopping between forests to reach the outskirts of Toronto. There had been a girl with interesting prospects there.

It was late at night when I finally crossed her scent again. I was pleased to note that it was stll tantalizing enough. She certainly wouldn't be the finest meal I'd ever had, but I hoped the hunt would at least be enough to drive the memory of Bella from my mind.

I scolded myself for allowing her to affect me so. She was like an insidious infection which polluted my very being with the essence of _her_. I could feel the strength her blood had given me seeping away by the hour, and in its place a cold fire burned through my body.

I watched the dreams of the girl play out in her mind and sighed. With her thoughts practically shouting her innermost desires at me, it was almost too easy. There would be no challenge taking her, and therefore the excitement of the prospect was dulled. Regardless, I would stay.

I needed something to take my mind off the immortal girl with long brown hair and iridescent red eyes.

I inhaled deeply, drawing the scent of my latest prey across my tongue and into my lungs to remind me of the reason I was there. My throat flamed and I rejoiced.

As I fucked the girl, she would unwittingly release me from whatever spell it was that Bella had cast over me. Her blood would drown my guilt and I would be cleansed. She would be my reminder of the thrill I had discovered when I'd met Evelyn so many years ago, in the darkest hours of my existence. The guilt I felt over allowing Bella to live and the anger at myself for making such a mistake would be washed away in a river of blood.

I wandered around the room, gathering the important details of the girl's—Annie's—life so that I could use them to procure her when the moment came. I thumbed through her school books and leafed through her diary. She was easy and predictable. I would be able to take her within a week.

~ 0 ~

A few well-timed glances over the course of a few short days and a sad story were all it took to gain Annie's trust. She was popular, considered herself attractive so she wasn't the least bit surprised when I showed an interest.

She was vapid and vain, and after spending a few hours in her company the luster of seducing her had worn thin. I was left wondering what the hell I was going to do. I had invested my time and for that reason alone I wanted to take her. Another part of me, however didn't want to be sullied with her blood. After the purity and sweetness that I'd consumed with Bella, I wasn't sure that I wanted any part of Annie inside of me—or any part of me inside her. Regret over selecting the wrong prey just wasn't worth the short-term benefits.

Thoughts of Bella invaded my mind once again. I wondered whether there was another girl out there with a silent mind. It was such an exquisite rarity, even without the double benefit of Bella's delectable scent. It had been more of a challenge to stalk prey when I couldn't rely on my extra sense to see their every thought. It provided a sense of allure and intrigue that was completely unique and to top.

I turned from Annie, realizing she wasn't the one who would fix me. Taking a meal which wouldn't be wholly satisfying would only make the guilt worse. That was the last thing I needed while my mind was already addled over Bella. I began to run again, heading for the unknown. During the time I'd had Bella by my side, I had worked through my shortlist. I was left to search with the old-fashioned methods: dumb luck and instinct.

As I ran, I changed direction regularly, but my heading was always somewhere between west and north. It was almost as if I could see a compass in my head that was guiding me toward a specific point. I figured it was my instinct drawing me closer to an area which had once before held promise. Exactly what I would find there I had no idea, but I was compelled to go regardless.

I travelled slowly, taking my time to thoroughly comb each area to determine whether there were any suitable candidates. Each time, I found some flaw that precluded the prey from selection. I knew it wouldn't matter for too much longer though. It had been close to a month since I'd last fed. With the extra effort I was taking to find someone, I would soon be too far gone to avoid taking a life purely for sustenance. I rarely did it but if I was given no other alternative, I would have to.

It was either that or hunt like the Cullens.

As my mind conjured up their method of feeding, I remembered Bella's graceful style. There were so many alluring elements to her hunting technique, from the way her hips swayed as she gently loped through the trees to the hold she took the beasts into, which was almost a lover's embrace.

I found myself growing lustful and impatient as I thought about the sole immortal I had created. I wondered whether she had slipped and taken a human life; surely being alone for as long as she had been, it was almost inevitable.

_If she had, what is the consequence for me?_

_Would it truly be on my conscience? Would it inflict damage on my soul?_

_Is she responsible for her own choices, her own actions—and am I therefore responsible for mine? _

There was a strong possibly that her kills were my fault. If Carlisle was willing to accept responsibility for the deaths that I caused, was I not just as responsible for Bella's? If I couldn't accept that blame, my own kills must surely be tallied in the book of life at Saint Peter's gate. I knew my soul was damned either way—already burning in hell as my body lingered on eternally. Regardless, the prospect of additional damnation was terrifying. I wondered if there was any hope for salvation.

Almost as quickly as my mind had sought out thoughts of Bella and damnation, it rebelled against them. Redemption was for those who were willing to change their ways. I wasn't.

I shook off the ridiculous thoughts that had been consuming me and ran in the direction of the pull I'd been experiencing for so long. A new sense of urgency came upon me. While my body was in motion, I could concentrate on the feeling of elation as the wind rushed around me. I relished the feeling of freedom and exhilaration that running always gave me. . I pictured Bella's smile as she ran for the first time. Even without the benefit of being able to read her mind, I could tell she enjoyed the sensations as much as I always had.

I shook my head once more.

Somehow, my thoughts had again drifted back to the worst mistake I'd made. No matter what else I tried to concentrate on, _she_ filled my mind. It frustrated me to no end. As I ran, I let loose a feral cry in an attempt to expel the presence she seemed to have left in my body. I needed to know how she had infected me so deeply; it was almost as if her blood had held venom that was still coursing through my body even as the strength it had given me faded away. I wondered how long I would have to bear its curse; another week, a month, or Heaven forbid, longer.

My guttural cry did little to appease my mind, but sent the scant wildlife scattering. I ran faster, hopeful that I could push myself until I began to feel the exhaustion that should accompany physical exertion so hard. I longed for something, anything, that wasn't the ache in my chest and the distinct feeling that I had left something far behind.

The further North-West I travelled, the duller the ache in my chest seemed to become. The effort I applied to move faster and push further must have been burning through the last of Bella's blood and ridding me of her poison. I vowed to never again succumb to so sweet a temptress—and regretted leaving Annie's not-quite-perfect aroma untasted—because the temporary high from the perfect drop wasn't worth the lasting effects it seemed to be having. The fact that the pain had only grown with the increasing distance between us must have been how her infection worked. I took the slow waning of it as proof that I was becoming free. I was going to be myself again.

~ 0 ~

I'd run at top speed for nearly a day and was well into Canada when I stumbled across a discovery that was both remarkable and terrible at the same time. There was a patch of forest—so calm and serene that no human would ever suspect anything unusual from it—that was ripe with the scent of decaying flesh. The remnants of a large hunt were obviously buried beneath the soil and bracken, far enough below the surface that they would be undetectable to any passing human.

That I'd found a burial site of a hunt wasn't disturbing, I had stumbled across numerous ones over the years, however the fact that the disposed carcasses were animals was.

A trio of familiar scents crisscrossed the area and I was immediately on tenterhooks.

_How had she found them? _

I realized the scents were fresh.

_How long ago where they here? Are they nearby now? _

A series of almost-silent footfalls alerted me to a presence. I turned suddenly, sinking deep into a crouched position to defend myself.

_What has she done to me? Why did I come here?_ "Well, well, well," Bella said, moving around to lean against a tree—mimicking my stance the first time I had seen her hunt. "Fancy seeing you here."

I sank deeper into my crouch, baring my teeth.

She laughed and a high, tinkling sound filled the air. It made me want to rise out of my defensive position, so instead I sank deeper into it.

I snarled a warning at her, "Stay away!"

Another soft chuckle fell from her lips. "You're the one who couldn't stay away."

She smiled wickedly, a wry smile that lit up her eyes and warned me that she had more to say. My instincts were telling me to move toward her—_closer, closer, closer still_—but I stood my ground and remained in position.

"What have you done to me?" I hissed.

She tilted her head to the side. Her look of utter confusion made me pause for a moment. My legs straightened a little.

"What do you mean?" she asked quietly. "I haven't done anything."

I wondered whether it was possible that she didn't know the terrible curse her blood had left in my body. I also considered the fact that she might be playing dumb.

"You're the one who followed me," she whispered quietly before taking a step away from me.

My fingers twitched in her direction as the distance between us grew. The scent of her was sending my body into overdrive and I had lost control of my faculties. It excited me much more than it should have, and that fact terrified me.

She turned away from me and the ache in my chest flared once more. Almost instantly, she was in a position to run. It was almost as if time slowed down in my mind and I knew I had to do something to stop her. I couldn't watch her run away a second time, at least not before I made my peace with her.

"Wait!" I called softly to her.

She'd already started running and had put a significant distance between us. For a moment I'd wondered if she'd even heard me.

She stopped slowly and twisted around to face me.

"Is this just another game to you?" she asked.

Her question took me by surprise and I straightened completely, taking one step in her direction. I looked into her eyes and couldn't help but notice they had faded from a vivid red to a ruddy amber and felt relieved that she hadn't given in to temptation. My mouth twisted into a slight smile.

"It is, isn't it?" she huffed. "I should have known."

She turned on her heel and began to run again. The ache in my chest and feeling that I'd left something behind spiked, driven to a new level. I knew I just needed to touch Bella, to take her hand and tell her properly that I was sorry I fucked up with her. Then I could be free to find my next feed without the ghost of my guilt coming back to haunt me.

I ran after her with all my might, struggling to close the distance between us. Her newborn strength had worn off a little, but she still had significant speed—and a head-start.

I pushed harder, calling on my last reserves to give me the edge over her. Slowly, the distance between us began to close. Her scent became stronger, enriched by her physical exertion to stay ahead of me. It almost made me feel light headed and made the aches within me fade away.

When I was close enough, I leapt for her, trying to catch her around the waist and slow her down.

Instead of me taking her down, she twisted within my arms. In one swift motion, she grabbed my shoulders and pushed me into the ground. She straddled my stomach and held my arms in place at my side with her legs.

"Why are you doing this to me?"

She punched my shoulders and chest.

"Why couldn't you just leave me alone?"

Her voice held a hysterical edge.

"Everything I ever cared about it gone now, and it's all your fault!"

I knew she was no longer talking about finding her again in Canada. I felt a renewed stab of guilt that I had inflicted the pain of eternal life on her and realized that I needed to get the fuck out of dodge.

She smacked me once more as a horrendous sob tore from her chest and into the surrounding trees. She collapsed onto my body, crying tearlessly for the life I had stolen from her. My chest ached, almost as if the sobs that she was releasing where taking a physical toll on me. I didn't know what spell it was that she had wrought over me, but it rendered me near useless in the face of her pain.

As her body melted against mine, my arms were freed from their cage.

I was uncertain what to do with them, so I wrapped them around her shuddering torso as gently as I could.

I was certain I didn't do it for her comfort.

I did it because there was nowhere else for me to place my hands without becoming uncomfortable.

I stroked her hair softly and avoiding whispering lies and palliative words.

I didn't do any of it for her benefit.

Not. At. All.

~ 0 ~

**A/N:- Okay I'm going to admit I've had a massive case of writer's block on this story and have been sitting on this chapter waiting for inspiration to strike to get the next one out. So I will apologise for this one taking so long, but it may be a little while before the next one too (I'm hoping a few reviews might get the juices pumping again). **

**Thank you to DutchGirl01 for the very lovely PMs giving me a little shove to get moving on this. **


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